Helen Jane Kochenderfer

Jane Kochenderfer, aged 79, died peacefully at home November 26, 2010. Helen Jane O'Neil was born in Cleveland on January 23, 1931, the third of six children. Her mother died when she was 12, and her father's remarriage brought most of the family to Kelseyville, Calif. After graduating from high school, she moved to Santa Rosa where she attended Burbank Business College. She found a part-time job at Santa Rosa School of Aviation, got paid in flying lessons, and married the owner, Stan Kochenderfer, in Honolulu in 1951. Their first home together was the yacht Mollilou, docked at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, where Stan lived after sailing the South Pacific. Stan then began to work for Transocean Airlines. Soon Jane and Stan and their first child, Ross, moved to their second home, a hotel room in Amman, Jordan. As Stan's career in aviation developed, Jane raised a family often on her own as he traveled. Their seven children were born in the Territory of Hawaii, Beirut, Santa Rosa, Walnut Creek, and the island of Malta, where they lived for ten years. Alamo, California was their stateside home for 42 years. Jane learned Arabic, was a long-time Cub Scout den mother, founded the American Womens Club of Malta, learned to play the organ and accordion, sew and paint. She organized just about every neighborhood she lived in. A few years after Stan's death in 1999, she moved to Portland, Oregon, where three of her daughters live, and enjoyed her new surroundings. Despite undergoing continuous treatment for Stage four cancer for the last two years, she took pleasure in doing things for her family, from cleaning her daughter's kitchen to making treats for a grandchild going away to school. Boxes of her fudge continued to arrive by mail across the country, and she kept up her correspondence with many friends around the world. Jane is survived by her children, Ross (Auburn), Carol (Portland), Helen (Santa Rosa), Bill (Auburn), Mary Ellen (Portland) and Suzie (Portland). Her son John died in 2003. She has 12 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She will also be missed by her surviving siblings, Sally, Hugh, Dennis and Bill. A memorial service will be held Friday, December 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at West Hills Unitarian Fellowship at 8470 SW Oleson Road, Portland 97223. Donations in her memory may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation-Oregon, 7000 SW Hampton, Ste 101, Portland, OR 97223. For more information call 503-922-9445.