Jane Anne Tumas-Serna, 82, of Marietta, made her final journey, Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Marietta Memorial Hospital, surrounded by her loving family.
Jane was born December 21, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, daughter of the late John Thomas and Anne Norkus Thomas. She studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago and philosophy at the University of Illinois, and later at the University of Missouri, where she met her husband, Manuel Antonio Serna-Maytorena.
Jane and Antonio moved to Athens, Ohio in 1966, where they were both professors at Ohio University. She received her MFA in painting and drawing and, in 1987, her Ph.D. in mass media communications from OU. After a teaching career at several universities, she was named professor emerita at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, where she was instrumental in founding the Communications Studies program.
After retirement, Jane moved to Marietta to be closer to her family. She was actively involved in Marietta civic causes. She campaigned for candidates for the Washington County Democratic Party and was past vice-president and president of the Armory Square, Inc. board. Jane was an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta, where she served on many committees.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, her son, Mark Serna-Maytorena, and her daughter, Laura Serna-Maytorena. She is survived by her son-in-law, Eric Richendollar, of Marietta, her grandsons and their wives and partners, Alex and Annie Richendollar, of Reno, Chris and Alyssa Richendollar, of Marietta, and Nick Richendollar and Hallie Davis, of Athens, her brother and sister-in-law, John and Lise Thomas of La Selva Beach, California.
There will be a celebration of her life at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta at a later date.
Jane was born December 21, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, daughter of the late John Thomas and Anne Norkus Thomas. She studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago and philosophy at the University of Illinois, and later at the University of Missouri, where she met her husband, Manuel Antonio Serna-Maytorena.
Jane and Antonio moved to Athens, Ohio in 1966, where they were both professors at Ohio University. She received her MFA in painting and drawing and, in 1987, her Ph.D. in mass media communications from OU. After a teaching career at several universities, she was named professor emerita at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, where she was instrumental in founding the Communications Studies program.
After retirement, Jane moved to Marietta to be closer to her family. She was actively involved in Marietta civic causes. She campaigned for candidates for the Washington County Democratic Party and was past vice-president and president of the Armory Square, Inc. board. Jane was an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta, where she served on many committees.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, her son, Mark Serna-Maytorena, and her daughter, Laura Serna-Maytorena. She is survived by her son-in-law, Eric Richendollar, of Marietta, her grandsons and their wives and partners, Alex and Annie Richendollar, of Reno, Chris and Alyssa Richendollar, of Marietta, and Nick Richendollar and Hallie Davis, of Athens, her brother and sister-in-law, John and Lise Thomas of La Selva Beach, California.
There will be a celebration of her life at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta at a later date.
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