Jane G. Eskind

1933 - 2016

Jane G. Eskind

Nashville, TN

Jane Eskind, a groundbreaking leader for women's rights, education and the arts, and the first woman to win statewide elected office in Tennessee, died August 4, 2016, after a long illness. She was 83.

Mrs. Eskind was a leading advocate for progress and social justice in Nashville, and she was active in many causes that endeavored to pull the community together. She was prominent as a national political leader, serving twice on the Democratic National Platform Committee. Mrs. Eskind was the first woman to chair the Tennessee Democratic Party and the first to run for statewide office when she won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 1978.

She faced an uphill battle to unseat popular Republican Senator Republican Howard Baker, but her campaign drew admiration across the state and the nation, including from then-President Jimmy Carter, who came to Tennessee to campaign for her.

Following the Senate campaign loss, Mrs. Eskind remained active in the party and two years later won a seat on the three-person state Public Service Commission, becoming the first woman elected to statewide office in Tennessee. She later became chair of the Public Service Commission.

In 1986, she ran for the Democratic nomination for governor, finishing second to then-State Represenative Ned McWherter. The day after that primary loss, Mrs. Eskind - as could be expected from those who knew her - was on his campaign bus and working tirelessly toward his eventual victory.

Mrs. Eskind was active in an array of causes and organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, the International Women's Forum, and the Women Executives in State Government, for which she was a charter member. From 1978 to 1980, she chaired the Tennessee Commission on the Status of Women. She later was named trustee to the Vice President's Residence Foundation and to the Brandeis University Board of Trust.

She provided time and energy to many groups, including the boards of Tennessee Tomorrow and NashvilleREAD, a local literacy group. Mrs. Eskind served as an adviser to Nashville CARES, an HIV-AIDS advocacy group; the Legal Aid Society; the Nashville Institute for the Arts; the League of Women Voters; the Kelly Miller Smith Institute on African-American Church Studies; Family and Children's Services; and New Leadership South.

The Louisville, Ky., native was educated at Brandeis University and the University of Louisville. She and her husband, Richard, lived in Nashville for 60 years after they left Louisville.

Mrs. Eskind is survived by her husband of more than 62 years, Richard J. Eskind, daughter Ellen Lehman, son, Billy Eskind (Jamie), both of Nashville; brother and sister-in-law, John and Mary Greenebaum of Louisville; sister-in-law Annette Eskind of Nashville; grandchildren Jeremy Lehman, Madeline Eskind, Doni Lehman, Alec Eskind, Isaac Eskind and Jude Eskind, nieces and nephews Steve and Laurie Eskind, Jeff and Donna Eskind, Sam Greenebaum, Anastasia Greenebaum, Eliott Greenebaum, Michael Eskind, Julie Eskind, David Eskind (Megan), Matt Eskind, and Sara Eskind; and by special friends Doris Medlin, Gladys Bender, Kenny Katzoff and Tim Holder.

The Family also wants to thank Mrs. Eskind's devoted caregivers: Peggy Smith, Iona Christmus, Samaria Johnson, Margaret Dabney, Avy Long, Elaine Bodenhamer, Jeremyck Smith, Linda Garrett, Vanecia Gibbs, Mary Arnold, Diane Christmus and Hannah Page.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 10, at Congregation Micah, 2001 Old Hickory Boulevard in Brentwood, TN. A reception will follow.

Honorary Pallbearers are President William Clinton, Vice President Albert Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Governor Phil Bredesen, Congressman Harold Ford, Sr., Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., Former Commissioners of the Tennessee Public Service Commission, Former Chairs of the Tennessee Democratic Party, and Former Chairs of the Tennessee Commission on the Status of Women.

Pallbearers are Dobree Adams, Joseph Barker, Judith Barker, Barbara Bovender, Jack Bovender, John Bridges, Bernita Brown, James Brown, Barbara Chazen, Eric Chazen, Councilman John Cooper, Congressman James Cooper, Inez Crutchfield, Diane Doochin, Carol Etherington, James Free, Harris A. Gilbert, Jonathan Greene, Reverend Forrest Harris, Aubrey Harwell, Reverend Timothy Holder, Janet Howard, Ellen Jacobs, Kenneth Jacobs, Kenneth Katzoff, Reverend Marcel Kellar, Dr. Howard Kirshner, Heloise Werthan Kuhn, Sally Levine, Myron Lowery, John Maupin, Lucy McDiarmid, Doris Medlin, Joel Morris, Diane Neal, Betty Nixon, Honorable Molly Raiser, Jane Rand, Lucy Schneider, Barbara Sherman, Malcolm Sherman, Jackie Shrago, Holly Spann, Betsy May Stern, Hope Stringer, Howard Stringer, Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, Dr. MacDonald Williams, Emily Wiseman, Judge Thomas Wiseman, and Joe Young.

Memorial contributions can be made to:

• The Jane Eskind Endowment Fund to benefit The Women's Fund c/o The Community Foundation, 3833 Cleghorn Ave., Nashville, TN 37215

• The League of Women Voters Education Endowment Fund c/o The Community Foundation, 3833 Cleghorn Ave., Nashville, TN 37215

• The Congregation Micah Endowment Fund, c/o The Community Foundation 3833 Cleghorn Avenue, Nashville 37215; or

• The charity of your choice.