"To Jane's family and friends. My memories of Jane go back about 65 years when we were pupils at Howell's School in Wales. She and my sister Barbara were close friends and both went on to study Geography. Jane's happy smiling face and curly brown hair stay in my mind after all these years. Carol Tarr ( Harvey)"
In loving memory of
Jane Zaring
December 26, 1936 - April 15, 2023
Jane Zaring passed away on April 15, 2023, in Northcrest Community in Ames. She was a book lover, author, and editor, a warm host, and a much loved mother and grandmother.
Jane came to Iowa from Wales for her family, but built friendships that sustained her here for the rest of her life. She was born December 26, 1936 in Nelson, the daughter of Edward and Gwyneth Thomas, and grew up on Penywaun Farm with her brother Edward. A graduate of Howell's School in Llandaff, Jane went on to receive her BA in geography at University College, London in 1959 and education diploma at Cambridge University. Jane taught geography at the Putney School in London and then received a Fulbright Scholarship to study for her Master's Degree in Indiana University, which she earned in 1966. While in Bloomington, she met her future husband of fifty three years - Philip Zaring, an Indiana graduate studying for his PhD at Yale. They married in 1966 in Llanfabon, South Wales.
Jane moved to Ames in 1967 to join Philip, who was teaching at the History Department at Iowa State. They built a modern house of peaks and angles in which she hosted visitors, held dinner parties, and raised her family. She taught geography in the Earth Sciences Department until 1975, when she left to look after their two sons David and Noah. Jane also took to writing children's books, and her Return of the Dragon and Sharkes in the North Woods were published in 1981 and 1982 by Houghton Mifflin Press. From 1985 to 1998, Jane worked as a proofreader and editor at the Iowa State University Press.
After retiring in 1989, Jane and Philip decided to stay in Iowa, but took to ambitious global travel, including trips to India, China, Vietnam, Mexico, and Haiti. In 2012, they moved from the house they had built on Meadow Glen Road to Northcrest Community, where she welcomed neighbors and friends an apartment as beautiful and modern as the house they had left. Jane was a devoted member of St John's Episcopal Church, a proud Welshwoman and member of the Iowa Welsh Society, and a strong Democrat.
She was a committed civic participant in Ames, a member and former president of the Friends of the Ames Public Library, and of two long-running book groups, plus one which also featured beer.
Jane is predeceased by her husband Philip and brother Edward, and survived by sons David (Jacoba Johnson) and Noah (Nhu An Tran) and four grandchildren, Isabel, Philip, Elias, and Phoebe.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 22 at 10:00 am at Saint John's Episcopal Church in Ames. In lieu of sending flowers, bring to the service a few garden daffodils, the flower of Wales. Alternatively, donate to the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (aplff.org), or Saint John's (stjohns-ames.org).
Condolences and memories of Jane may be shared with her family on her tribute page.
Tributes
"To David and Noah, It is not easy to experience the narrowing of friendship circles and, even more especially, when I think of Jane's earned rest is part of that narrowing. As part of the historians' circle, I knew your mom from the first day I arrived in Ames in 1970. We were a generation of enthusiastic young faculty, ready to raise children, ready to raise new structures (The Bins and your parents' lovey home), and even to raise a bit of hell. We hated the war together, we loved our children, and we raised many a toast at their house and ours...a few times, too many it should be confessed. You many not know that your childhood crib, painted red-orange, rescued our girls when they arrived too early and as an unexpected pair. Your parents were there to support our journey into parenthood--they already knew so much. (Consider the evidence.) We celebrated New Year's Eve together over the years most often at our house and a couple of times at our farm in Illinois where we had an adult pajama party with the Dobsons and the McJimseys. Sometimes we were silly with hats and horns, (your mom was especially charming) but more often we were passionate about Democratic politics, about books, about our friends, about values. Her picture in mind, her voice in my head, and her warmth in my heart will always be there . So, my circle narrows as age draws us forward, but it is with a good stock memories typified in your mom...pride in living a valued life and confident that our off-spring will take it forward. Fondly, Faye Whitaker"
"Jane was a friend for over 55 years. My husband Jim and I enjoyed many dinners, brunches, week-end trips, and other special times with Jane and Philip. For many years Jane and I walked every Monday after our workdays were done. We discussed the state of the world but never seemed to solve difficult issues. We discussed books, too. Jane was an ?avid reader and I remember Jane's friend Moira saying when she and Jane were in school together, Jane always had her head in a book. I will miss Jane very much. I am giving a donation to the Ames Public Library in her memory. Jeri Prescott"