Jane CANTONI

CANTONI, Jane

On a crisp fall evening in 1946, Jane Lloyd and her friends at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, attended a freshman mixer, an event that became so crowded that Jane and friends ended up at the Western Lodge, which was used to handle the overflow crowd. At the same time, a group of Miami University students who had encountered the same crowd found their way to the Western Lodge too. There, Miami student Bob Cantoni met Jane Lloyd, a chance meeting that would lead to a college romance, and ultimately, marriage in 1951.

Born on May 18, 1928, to Marjorie Drew Lloyd and Thomas Chester Lloyd, Jane Cantoni died September 30, 2022, at her home in Lebanon, Ohio. She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Arnzen, her husband Gary, and her grandson, Charlie Braun (Cyndy). Preceding Jane in death were her husband Bob, daughters Melissa Cantoni Olona (Bob) and Cyndy Cantoni Braun (Greg). She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Following in the footsteps of her trend-setting mother, the first woman licensed to drive in Portsmouth, Ohio, Jane was the first woman Elder at the Lebanon Presbyterian Church, where she was an active member during her 71 years in Lebanon. She also was very loyal to Western College for Woman and Miami University. She was a member of an informal group of women in Lebanon known as the "Street Walkers" and active in the greater Lebanon community, belonging to the Hill History Club, the Literary Club, Matthew 25 Ministries, and PEO.

After graduating from college and their marriage, the Cantonis moved to Lebanon, where they rented a tiny apartment. They were so broke, Jane would often say, "they couldn't rub two nickels together." Jane taught first grade for one year before starting her own family. Over the next six years, the couple had three lovely daughters -- Jennifer, Melissa, and Cyndy -- Bob and Jane became stalwarts in the Lebanon community.

Jane was an avid sports fan all of her life, starting as a teenager when she traveled from Portsmouth to the out-of-town games of her high school football team. Her love of sports flourished with her marriage to Bob, a passion that lasted until her final day. A typical fall weekend for Jane would start off on Friday night attending the Lebanon High School football game, followed by a Saturday afternoon football or basketball game at Miami University, then a Miami hockey game later that same evening. Sundays were spent cheering on the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jane also loved to travel. She visited Africa, Europe, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, Canada, and Central America. She especially enjoyed the annual trips with her family to Torch Lake, Michigan, New York City, and Sanibel Island, FL. During these many trips, Jane honed her love of collecting, acquiring antiques, vintage books, Indian artifacts, Shaker tools, sea shells and many other items of interest to her. During her 94 years of life, Jane also collected many friends along the way, who, along with her cherished family members, will miss her deeply.

Services will be held at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, October 11, at the Lebanon Presbyterian Church, 123 N. East St., Lebanon, OH. Memorials may be made to the Mary Jo Cropper Breast Center, c/o Bethesda Foundation, 10500 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, or a charity of your choice.