Jane Ann Lemen

Jane Ann Lemen

Born on December 22, 1940, in Elwood, Indiana, to Lois and Victor Seright, Jane Ann Lemen lived a life filled with faith, compassion, and dedication to others.

After graduating from Ball State University with a degree in Education, Jane Ann married her college sweetheart, Gordon, and briefly taught English before stepping away from the classroom to begin raising a family. With a smile, she often said she was simply on “extended maternity leave.”

Once her children were in school, Jane Ann discovered a new calling—though she liked to joke that she “spent her days in jail,” her time behind bars was as a counselor and source of encouragement in the chaplain’s office, where she devoted herself to ministering to inmates. She firmly believed that every person has a purpose and that even those facing long prison sentences deserve the chance to know God’s love. Out of this conviction, she founded the United Methodist Jail Ministries in Indianapolis, later serving as a part-time employee of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department Chaplain’s Office.

Jane Ann also nurtured a lifelong love of writing. Whether it was her spirited letters to the editor, her published work El Shaddai 2017, her famously colorful to-do lists that she never quite finished, or her personal devotions recording daily conversations with God, her words reflected both her passion and her faith.

Above all, Jane Ann’s greatest joy was her family, never missing a chance to encourage, support, and love those closest to her. She leaves behind a legacy of faith and service that continues to inspire all who knew her.

Jane Ann is survived by her four children, David Lemen (Jennifer), Paul Lemen (Deborah), Heather Lemen, Ruth Watkins (Claude), 12 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Victor, and her loving husband Gordon.

Though she will be deeply missed, Jane Ann’s light continues to shine through the lives she touched, the words she wrote, and the faith she so steadfastly lived.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Ministerio Jesucristo ES Vida, located at 3096 W. 62nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46228. A funeral service will follow immediately at 12:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory are welcome to:

United Methodist Prison Ministry

 Alzheimer's Association