Jane Woodruff Pitman

Jane Woodruff Pitman, a resident of Lutherville, Maryland, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, surrounded by her loving children.

Jane was born in Bryn Mawr, PA on September 21, 1941, daughter to Rudolph Charles and Helen Doeringer Blancke, III. Born hearing, she became deaf in early childhood. At 2 1/2 years of age, Jane attended Lexington School for the Deaf in Manhattan, NY, where she learned to communicate using an oral approach. She later attended and graduated from the Clarke School for the Deaf in North Hampton, MA.

Jane continued her education at the Strayer Business School and began working as an IBM key punch operator at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in 1962. In 1963, she married Woodrow E. Pitman, Jr. and they settled in Simpsonville, MD, where Gretchen was born in 1965. The young family later moved to Hillendale, where Woody was born in 1970. Years later the family moved to Baldwin, Maryland.

Jane enjoyed crafting, camping with family and friends, and although deaf, loved feeling the vibrations from and dancing to music. She was a dog lover and trained her dogs using sign language. Jane loved to travel and had a flair for fashion. She was an avid reader and enjoyed sewing, knitting, and playing cards. Jane was active socially, participating in deaf community clubs, and stayed quite busy with friends and daily activities. She cherished visiting with her extended family, especially at her parents' home in Rehoboth Beach.

She is survived by her loving children, daughter, Gretchen P. Cannon and husband John, of Glen Arm, MD, son, Woodrow E. Pitman, III and husband Chad Wheeler of Ellicott City, MD; brother, Rudolph C. Blancke, IV of Rehoboth Beach, DE; husband, Woodrow E. Pitman, Jr. of Baldwin, MD; 2 grandsons, Jack A. Cannon of Glen Arm, MD, and Charles R. Cannon of Chicago, IL; nieces and nephews, Kimberly D. Holbrook, Dylan, and Logan Holbrook of Grand Blanc, MI, Kelley and Todd Boza, Rudolph and Isabella Boza of Holly Springs, NC, Torri Lehman and fiancé, Valentin Stepanchuk of Cascade Locks, OR, Tasha and Andrew Carver of Amelia Island, FL, and she is remembered fondly by her loving extended family.

Family and friends will gather for a memorial service on Saturday, March 14th at 10:00AM at St. John's Episcopal Church at 9140 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042, with Father Derek Miller officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in support of the 'MMRF Research Fellowship Program.'
Arrangements by Highview Funeral and Cremation Services, Fallston, MD.