Obituary for Jane (Reynolds) Nordstrom McCauley
At the age of 101 years, Jane McCauley passed peacefully on January 1, 2023, with family at her side. Born in Dansville, NY on February 10, 1921, she lived most of her life in Brattleboro, VT before relocating to Stowe in her later years. As part of her legacy, she leaves a son, Harold Nordstrom II and daughter-in-law Mary Jo of Reading, MA, and a daughter, Cajsa Nordstrom Schumacher of Morrisville, VT, as well as grandchildren Justin Nordstrom, Angela Nordstrom Jennings, Erika Schumacher, Heidi Schumacher, and Ryan Schumacher, and their spouses. She leaves 7 great-grandchildren: Ava and Abigail Jennings, Levi Nordstrom, Elsa and Sigrid Hogate, and Oliver and Adelaide Picard, as well as many loved nieces and nephews.
Jane was a proud officer in the US Navy during WW II, after President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Navy Women’s Reserve Act into law, creating what was commonly known as the WAVES -- Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. As a Yeoman/first class, she was stationed in Washington, DC during the war years and oversaw a team of 13 women whose job was to type code which Jane then transmitted to the Pacific Fleet. On April 14, 1945, she was honored to be among military women and men who escorted FDR’s horse-drawn funeral cortege from Union Station to the White House. It was during her service time that she met her future husband, USMC Sgt Major Harold Nordstrom, of the Pacific 3rd Marine Division.
Jane and Harold raised their children in Port Allegany, PA, and later Brattleboro, VT. Until her retirement, she continued community employment, including many years as executive secretary to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital director and board.
After the end of her first marriage, Jane found love again with John (Jack) McCauley of Brattleboro, with whom she enjoyed 21 years of travel and good times. Jane remained active in her retired years, especially with advocacy for military women, including being co-founder and president of the Vermont WAVES chapter, and subsequently a board-member for WAVES-National. She was instrumental in the naming of part of Vermont’s I-91 to honor women veterans. Before his recent retirement, Senator Leahy honored her with a letter commending her years of service.
For over 50 years, Jane was active in many capacities at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Brattleboro, until she moved northward. Additionally, she was a Red Cross volunteer, a van driver to the Veterans Hospital in White River Junction for those without transportation, a vote-counter on election days, a volunteer at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and a member of the hospital auxiliary.
She was loved by many and will be missed. A graveside memorial event will be held in the spring.
Donations may be made in her memory to Trinity Lutheran Church, 161 Western Ave, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Please visit awrfh.com where you can share memories and condolences.
Jane was a proud officer in the US Navy during WW II, after President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Navy Women’s Reserve Act into law, creating what was commonly known as the WAVES -- Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. As a Yeoman/first class, she was stationed in Washington, DC during the war years and oversaw a team of 13 women whose job was to type code which Jane then transmitted to the Pacific Fleet. On April 14, 1945, she was honored to be among military women and men who escorted FDR’s horse-drawn funeral cortege from Union Station to the White House. It was during her service time that she met her future husband, USMC Sgt Major Harold Nordstrom, of the Pacific 3rd Marine Division.
Jane and Harold raised their children in Port Allegany, PA, and later Brattleboro, VT. Until her retirement, she continued community employment, including many years as executive secretary to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital director and board.
After the end of her first marriage, Jane found love again with John (Jack) McCauley of Brattleboro, with whom she enjoyed 21 years of travel and good times. Jane remained active in her retired years, especially with advocacy for military women, including being co-founder and president of the Vermont WAVES chapter, and subsequently a board-member for WAVES-National. She was instrumental in the naming of part of Vermont’s I-91 to honor women veterans. Before his recent retirement, Senator Leahy honored her with a letter commending her years of service.
For over 50 years, Jane was active in many capacities at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Brattleboro, until she moved northward. Additionally, she was a Red Cross volunteer, a van driver to the Veterans Hospital in White River Junction for those without transportation, a vote-counter on election days, a volunteer at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and a member of the hospital auxiliary.
She was loved by many and will be missed. A graveside memorial event will be held in the spring.
Donations may be made in her memory to Trinity Lutheran Church, 161 Western Ave, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Please visit awrfh.com where you can share memories and condolences.