Jane Charlotte Bouchard

Jane Charlotte Bouchard passed away peacefully, holding her husband's hand, on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at the age of 87, at Meercroft Care facilities in Devonport, Tasmania, Australia.

Jane was born April 22, 1938, in Haverhill, Massachusetts. She graduated from Haverhill High School in 1955 and attended Merrimack College. She was the daughter of Alfred L. Bouchard and Ethel DeLan (Barry) Bouchard who predeceased her. Also, Jane is predeceased by her sisters, Kathryn Noury and Ann Parker.

Jane is survived by her loving husband John Coombes of Devonport, Tasmania, Australia; her brother John Bouchard and wife Nancy (Vogel) of Amesbury, MA. She leaves behind 3 daughters: Ellen Ann Rosenberg and husband Lloyd of Leland, NC and Ellen's children: Kelly Lockhart, Scott Lockhart, Katy Lockhart, and Rachel Godsey; Susie Genevieve Houle and husband Mark of Durham, NH and Susie's children: Genevieve Daugherty and Madeleine Daugherty; Louisa Jane (Salach) Nichols and husband Douglas of Hillsboro, NH and Louisa's children: Gregory Lamb, Mathew Lamb, Marinda Lamb, Carri Hayes, Ian Kenney, Lindsay Fragola and Briana Fisher.

She also leaves behind three sons: Jasper Mosses Francis Salach of Dover, NH; Andrew William Salach and wife Shirley (Rockefeller) Salach of Northwood, NH and their children: Adam Salach and Jane Rioux; Michael Stephen Salach and wife Melisa Salach of Mitchell, IN. and his children: Jessica Griffin, Corey Salach, Austin Salach and Jacob Salach. Jane was also an Aunty and Great Aunty and leaves many nieces and nephews. Jane was an adored stepmom she leaves behind Doug, Greg, and Jen and their children who she took into her heart like they were her own. She also leaves 27 great-grandchildren and two more are expected in October of this year.

She lived for many years in Bloomington, Indiana where she pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at Indiana University, with a major in Archaeological Sciences. Later she returned to New Hampshire where she lived many years before flying to Devonport, Tasmania, Australia to live with her husband for the remainder of her very active life.

Jane had a voracious desire to live her life to the fullest. She was always active in adding new interests to explore or crafts (including water coloring, knitting). In her youth, she adored horseback riding with her best friend Anne Ford. Reading was one of her favorite past times all throughout her life. Her passion for the natural world was her spiritual connection to something greater than herself. From historical archeology excavation, joining local environmental explorations of fungi, fauna and flora, to participation in a spring cleanup and data collection of an endangered Fairy Penguin colony, coastal reserve at Lillico Beach near Devonport, Tasmania. Sometimes just sitting outside in the backyard watching a ferocious storm roll in would be the high point of her day. A quote from Jane, "For me all the beauty on this earth is anywhere outside, whether on land or sea, or on mountain tops, in the woods or in the bush (Tasmania). And the beauty is the memories that you store in these places and how a place can touch your heart. There are two places where I have lived that will always live in my heart and they are New Hampshire and Tasmania."

Jane loved to cook, trying out new recipes, perfecting her favorite ones and having company over for game nights to serve something new she whipped up in her kitchen. When her children were young, she would craft up the most amazing Christmas chocolates, cookies and confections for the holidays. Often you could hear Jane sing with a local choir. She was blessed with a lovely singing voice. She loved singing Handel's Messiah and Christmas carols. She sang throughout her entire life with many local choirs and enjoyed playing the Ukulele.

ARRANGEMENTS: There will be no public wake or funeral services in the US. In lieu of flowers, we suggest planting a tree in honor of Jane's life or donating to a wildlife refuge, environmental organization or local choir in her name.