Jane Pendleton Wootton M.D.

1939 - 2026

Jane Pendleton Wootton, MD

April 21, 1939 - March 26, 2026

Dr. Jane Pendleton Wootton, 86, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2026, after a long illness. She was born on April 21, 1939, in the village of Cuckoo in Louisa County, Virginia, to Eugene Barbour "Bob" Pendleton, Jr. and Mildred "Millie" (McLean) Pendleton. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved granddaughter, Eleanor "Ella" Pendleton White, her brother-in-law, Hugh Campbell, and her husband's siblings and spouses: Captain James Wootton, USN-Ret (Jean), Sadie Brightwell (W.R.), Ella Gammon (Turner), Byrd Garnett (James), Becky Edwards (John), Ruth Fraker (Turnley), Martha Timberlake (Ben), and Bob Wootton (Frances). She is survived by her devoted husband of 64 years, Dr. Percy Wootton; her daughters, Jane Meredith Wootton of Cuckoo, Virginia; Anne Wootton White (Alex) of Spring Hill, Tennessee; her son, Madison Pendleton Wootton (Sarah) of Richmond, Virginia; and five grandchildren: Mason Cromwell White, Frances "Frankie" Eleanor Wootton White, John Madison Wootton, Lucy Kellogg Wootton, and Henry Lawrence Wootton. She is also survived by her four dear sisters and their families: Sally Campbell, Nancy Wheeler (Chuck), Susan Hayden, Tina Ward (Dan); and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

"Dr. Jane," as she was known to many, was warm, vibrant, smart, and determined. Her life was guided by her faith, her strong sense of family, caring for others, and pursuing excellence in everything she did. She graduated from Louisa High School in 1957. In high school, she was honored as "Miss Louisa" at the Virginia Thanksgiving Festival. After learning to play the piano from her mother, Jane attended Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, on a music scholarship and majored in biology and minored in music, graduating in 1961. While in college, Jane and Percy met, fell in love, and a lifelong partnership began. They were married in Richmond on June 16, 1962.

Inspired by her grandfather, Dr. Eugene Barbour Pendleton, and many generations of physicians in her family, Jane decided to pursue her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia School of Medicine (MCV/VCU). A pioneer for women in medicine, she was one of only seven women to graduate in the class of 1965. At MCV she was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society and appointed to the faculty of MCV as Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine. After taking time off to raise her three children, she returned to medicine, completing her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at MCV in 1989. She was board-certified in PM&R and served as director of the Post-Polio Clinic at Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Hospital for many years and was beloved by her patients. She was active with the Richmond Academy of Medicine, Medical Society of Virginia, American Medical Association (AMA), and the AMA Auxiliary. Jane proudly supported Percy, a cardiologist, when he served as president of the AMA in 1997. She served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the MCV Alumni Association and, for many years, was a member of the board of the MCV Foundation.

Motivated by her compassion and desire to help others, Jane volunteered with the Adult Development Center, the Fan Free Clinic, the Crossover Clinic, the Richmond AIDS Ministry, and the Prison Visitation Project. Her trip to Turkey with Physicians for Peace to provide prostheses and medical care to earthquake victims was especially meaningful to her.

When Jane retired from medicine, she combined her faith with service by joining the ministry. She earned her Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education in May 2008. She became a chaplain at the Virginia Home in Richmond, a job she loved. She was honored to receive the Louis Michaux Award for Service to People with Disabilities. Jane was a member of Gilboa Christian Church in Louisa and First Presbyterian Church in Richmond where she served as an Elder, Sunday School teacher, and Youth Advisor.

Jane loved connecting with others and was generous with her time and talents. She was active with the Council of Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Historical Society, the Louisa County Historical Society, and the Louisa Arts Center. She was a member of The Country Club of Virginia, The Woman's Club, The Tuckahoe Woman's Club, and The National Society of Colonial Dames.

Jane often entertained friends and family at home in Richmond and at "Cuckoo," her ancestral home. She and Percy lovingly restored this historic home, and Jane planted the many flowers and ornamental trees on the grounds. She took great pleasure in hosting holiday family celebrations at Cuckoo, serving delicious food from recipes passed down through the generations, and playing Christmas carols on the piano. Jane loved all children, especially delighting in time spent with her grandchildren who knew her as "Grammie Jane."

The family would like to thank her wonderful care team at Cedarfield Health Care, especially Kendall, Ennis, Victoria, Rita, George, and Dr. Cook for their compassionate care over the last 4+ years. We also thank Ralph Stanley for his care and friendship over many years.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Dr. Jane Pendleton Wootton to the Virginia Home, Sheltering Arms Hospital Foundation, or a charity of your choice.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, at the Central Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 3215 Cutshaw Ave., in Richmond. A funeral service and burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 2, at Gilboa Christian Church, 6780 Jefferson Hwy., Mineral, VA 23117.