Jane Austin Albright

Jane Austin Albright of Orlando died at age 99 on October 12, 2025

Born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 7, 1926, she was the daughter and only child of Robert Emmett Austin and Rado Eloise Holdridge Austin. Her father was a railroad man, and the family lived in New Orleans, Louisville, Kentucky, and Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama through her childhood. She met her husband William Wallace “Bill” Albright while she was attending the University of Alabama. He was serving in the United States Army Air Corp in pilot training during World War II. After graduation and their wedding, they returned to his lifelong family home in Jefferson City, Tennessee. They raised their three children here; Marilyn, Steve and Brian, serving as examples of how to be good people.

When her youngest child entered college, Jane completed a Master’s degree in library science at the University of Tennessee. She was a librarian and taught research and information science at Carson Newman College from 1975 to 1989.

Jane was deeply curious and a lifelong learner. She read extensively her entire lifetime. While completing her Master’s degree at U.T., she took classes including finance, flower arranging, and technology. She became a Certified Judge of Floral and Horticulture. To complete this she had to win every category in juried flower shows. She was part of a team that produced television shows for a Knoxville community station. They included shows on TVA, local writers and local history.

She used her financial acumen to help her church, the United Methodist Church of Jefferson City. She also developed and taught a class in computer technology and skills for disadvantaged women. She learned how to refurbish donated computers. Each student who completed her class was given a computer.

Bill and Jane were able to travel extensively during his career with Albers Drug Company of Knoxville. She continued to travel after Bill’s death in 2006. She spoke several languages and spent two summers in Costa Rica in language immersion, while family and friends visited. She spent a month in Paris with her daughter, five years in a row. She lived in Knoxville Tennessee for five years after Bill‘s death. During the second year of Covid, she moved to Orlando, Florida for her remaining years. She loved meeting new people and discovering new places, activities and ideas. She developed deep friendships throughout her lifetime in each of her homes.

She helped people throughout her life, including her family and friends, her community and church. She served on community boards such as Appalachian Outreach, Senior Citizens Home Assistance and Jefferson County Health Council.

She is survived by her three children, Marilyn Albright Roofner (Larry) of Windermere, Steven Austin Albright (Peggy) of Knoxville, Brian Austin Albright of Atlanta, and her “other children “, Charles Albright (Vera), Helen Albright McClaren and Forrest Albright Palmieri (Brian). Her grandchildren are Austin Albright, Seth Albright, Kevin Albright and Manju Albright, all of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Jim Cunningham (Lisa) in Colorado. Her great grandchildren are Will, Laurel, Molly, AJ, Maggie, Reeve and Weston Albright and Lilly and Harris Cunningham.

A remembrance gathering will be held in Orlando, followed by a family gathering later. Those wishing to make a contribution can donate to Foothills Land Conservancy in Rockford, TN 37853, or to Second Harvest Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity in the community of your choice

Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home in Jefferson City, TN