Obituary of Jane S. Dugan

JANE S. DUGAN Jane Marie Shea Dugan of Latham, NY, 95, died on Sunday, September 27 at Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center where she had resided since April, 2015. Jane was born January 26, 1920 in New Haven Connecticut to Margaret and William Maurice Shea, and grew up at 577 Elm Street in New Haven with her extended family. After graduation from New Haven State Teachers' College, she taught second grade in West Hartford, Connecticut for several years. She met John Patrick Dugan Jr. of Amsterdam, New York at a USO dance and they married on July 1, 1944. Their honeymoon trip was to Palm Springs, California where John was assigned before his deployment to Southeast Asia during World War II. It was the first of many car trips throughout the United States and Canada and along the canals of New York State for Jane and John and their family. In 1948 they built and moved to their home on Cherrywood Terrace near Siena College where they raised their four children. They were charter members of St. Pius X Parish in Loudonville and lifelong communicants there. Jane was a woman of great faith and constant prayer. Their home was filled with music, and Jane loved to dance and to play the songbook of the 30s, 40s and 50s on the Dugan family piano. Family was Jane's greatest joy and between visits she kept in touch with her children through long, newsy letters and slide shows, and later by email and Facebook. Her chocolate chip cookies were legendary; often imitated, never duplicated. Her children and grandchildren display with pride her counted cross stitch pictures and crocheted afghans. An early member of Pine Haven Golf Club, Jane was the only Dugan ever to score a hole-in-one. She is survived by her three sons and their wives, John and Karen Koistinen Dugan of Glastonbury, Connecticut, Charles Shea and Michelle Marchesano Dugan of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania and William and Jean Malone Dugan of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and by her daughter Mary Dugan Wilcox and her partner Robert Ertelt of Latham, New York. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Patrick Dugan and Kate Shepard Dugan, Elin Dugan and Madhu Unnikrishnan, Jennifer Dugan Kim and Phil Kim, James Dugan and Shirley Salmeron Dugan, Leo Dugan and Lauren Sumser Dugan, Michael Neal Dugan and Birgit Doak, Peter Dugan and Kara Sainz, Michael C. Dugan and Welly Lai, Elizabeth Jane Dugan Gautrau and Bret Gautrau, Madeleine Shea Wilcox, Jack Wilcox and Haley Dulman and Anna Wilcox, and by her great-grandchildren Grace, Bridget Jane and Erin Dugan, Ella Jane and Max Kim, Sophia, Serena, Stella, Annabelle, Leo, Nola, Lucy Jane and Emelia Dugan and Caroline Shea and Ryan Gautrau. She is also survived by her son-in-law Dan Wilcox, cousin Leo Schutte , niece Kate Bishop and nephews Matthew and Mark Kearney and their families. She was predeceased by her parents, by her husband of 55 years John P. Dugan Jr., and by her beloved brother William Shea. Friends and family are invited to call on Wednesday September 30, 2015 from 4-7 pm at Dufresne and Cavanaugh Funeral Home, 149 Old Loudon Road, Latham Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday October 1, at 10:00 am at St. Pius X Church, 23 Crumitie Road, Loudonville NY. Burial will take place at St. Mary's Cemetery, Amsterdam, NY. Jane was a faithful supporter of the work of Holy Family Parish Mission in Cevicos, Dominican Republic, and in lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be sent to Holy Family Parish Mission, Holy Family Parish, 60 Pleasant Street, Gloucester MA, 01930 or via the website, www.holyfamilycevicos.com For directions, information or to leave condolences for the family, please visit www.dufresneandcavanaugh.com