Catherine "Jane" McCulloch

1933 - 2019

CATHERINE "JANE" MCCULLOCH This City of Chico has lost a lifelong resident, native daughter, and its "unofficial" fan club President. Jane McCulloch passed away after an extended illness on July 13, 2019. She passed quietly with her family at her side at Enloe Hospital, the same hospital where she was born on June 20th, 1933. The 86 years of life in between those dates chronicle a woman who dedicated much of her life to improving the social fabric of Chico. Born during the great depression, Jane arrived home from the hospital to a crowded house on Wall Street in downtown Chico, inhabited by many members of the extended family trying to make ends meet during very sparse times. The immediate family later moved to a 12-acre almond ranch, 3-miles West of town on West Sacramento Avenue. Jane's preferred mode of transportation to and from town was riding her horse. She would ride to Shubert's on hot summer evenings, and after getting ice cream, would sit on the sidewalk with her bare feet in the gutter, being cooled by the water from the many swamp coolers. Jane attended College Elementary, and graduated from Chico High School with the class of 1950, at the age of 17. She worked her way through high school and college working at the Senator Theater. She sold movie tickets from the ticket booth, located on the sidewalk in front of the theater, and then would complete the accounting and bookkeeping once all of the movie-goers were inside. She graduated from Chico State with a secondary teaching credential in 1954, and taught elementary school at Aymer J. Hamilton Elementary School. She married Bruce McCulloch on December 19, 1954. He was a dashing young man with a new sports car, from a very proper Mid-Western family. Bruce had come to Chico to visit his brother, a local MD. Bruce and Jane remained married until his death in 1994. She loved Chico, lived here her entire life, and never considered living anywhere else. She enjoyed summer on the Mendocino Coast and travelling to visit her family, but always remained firmly planted in Chico. Her extended family included 51 first cousins. Many of them were local farmers, living in the rural communities surrounding Chico. She was an active member of many Chico civic organizations, and likely a President or board member of most. She made significant contributions to the restoration of the Stansbury House. She collected vintage clothes, and produced period-correct fashion shows to assist in the preservation of Bidwell Mansion, and founded the Chico Scholarship Association. She was an expert ornithologist and President of the Butte County Bird Club. She volunteered at the Discovery Shoppe, lead a Girl Scout troop, walked Bidwell Park for Park Watch, and was a lifelong member of AAUW. Perhaps more than all of this, Jane was known as a Master Gardener. Being raised on a ranch, farming and planting were her lifelong passion. Her yards were featured multiple times on the Chico Episcopal Women's Garden Tour. Jane is survived by her 3 children: Mary Jill McCulloch (Victoria, Canada), Craig McCulloch (Radnor, Pennsylvania), and Carol McCulloch (Chico). Four grandchildren: Seth Hornby (Victoria, Canada), Bruce McCulloch, Jr (Philadelphia, PA), Kate McCulloch (Philadelphia, PA) and Alex McCulloch (Radnor, Pa) Funeral Services will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church, 2341 Floral Avenue on Thursday July 25th at 10 AM, followed by internment at Chico Memorial Cemetery. A party will follow. Jane expressed many times that she wanted her funeral to be a "Party". Please plan accordingly. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Bruce McCulloch Scholarship Foundation for Science, located at Butte College.