Jane Margaret Russell

Long-time Kauai resident Jane Russell passed away peacefully on July 19 in her home in Poipu

at the age of 84. She was born and raised on a dairy farm in the Nornalup district in southwest

Australia, a place where her parents were early settlers. Upon completing her high school

certificate, she moved to Perth Australia to start her working career as a secretary. That

experience proved valuable because early in her life Jane, who loved to travel, spent a number of

years traveling around the world, working as she went.

She met her husband, Rich, an American naval officer at the time, in Perth in 1980 and they

married in San Diego in 1982. Once again, she lived a nomadic life, moving often as Rich took

on various work assignments. Her travels enabled Jane to build a network of friends across

Australia, the U.S. and the Pacific islands. Her favorite location was Kwajalein atoll in the

Marshall Islands where she lived for seven years and was the site representative for the

University of Maryland Continuing Education program and an active volunteer for many

community activities, including a store that featured craftwork created by local Marshallese

artists. Jane and Rich retired to Kauai in 2012.

Jane was a joy to be with; she had a sparkle that would light up any room. She also had an

infectious laugh, and was outgoing, funny, kind and thoughtful. She was artistic and enjoyed

drawing and painting, and she loved animals and nature. She left an indelible mark on the life of

everyone she touched and will be sorely missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents Thomas and Louise Marie, and by her sisters Helen

and Hilda. In addition to her husband Rich, Jane is survived by her nephews Alan, Kevin, and

John; and her niece Francoise.

The family is requesting that friends who wish to honor Jane’s life can do so by making a

donation in her memory to the Kauai Community Cat Project at kauaicommunitycats.org