Jane Anna Hood, fostered children
Jane Anna (Simon) Hood died unexpectedly Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, while recovering from a bone fracture. She was 90.
Jane was born Nov. 7, 1931, in Glenolden, Pa. She was the youngest of four children of Anna (Pratt) and Harry L. Simon. After graduating from high school, she worked as a teller at the Philadelphia office of Bell Telephone Company. She soon met the love of her life, Charles Hood, at a dance. Jane recalled later that although she was embarrassed when Charlie did the Mexican hat dance, his love for animals convinced her to pursue a relationship. They fell in love and were married in August 1952.
Jane and Charlie lived in several towns in New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut while Charlie pursued an engineering career. Jane always enjoyed the opportunity to decorate each new home with her unique sense of design. In Lewes, her "barn" on Shipcarpenter Square was a resplendent stop on the Christmas House Tour.
Jane loved animals, old movies, big band music, Christmas, fashion, jewelry, ice cream and holding babies. Indeed, she was immensely proud of her role as a foster mother to 71 infants before they went home with their permanent adopted families. She made friends easily and continued to enjoy social gatherings throughout her life. But she missed her Charlie and looked forward to rejoining him in Heaven.
Jane is survived by daughters Linda (Richard) Haviland, Pamela Davis and Melissa Stargard; grandchildren, Katherine, Andrew, Victoria, Juliana, Amanda, Claire, Jeni, Chase, Kadin and Eären; and many great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her first husband Charles E. Hood, her second husband Neal Joseph Boyle, and her son Kevin Hood.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 16, at Bethel United Methodist Church, 129 W. 4th St., Lewes, where visitation will begin at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Brandywine Valley SPCA, 22918 DuPont Blvd., Georgetown, DE 19947.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Lewes.
Visit Jane’s Life Memorial webpage and sign her virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
