Jane O. Hipps' Obituary
Mary Jane O’Neal, born June 5, 1936, was the beloved only child of Oliver Milan O’Neal and Dora Lee Clarke O’Neal. Everyone called her Jane. Her childhood years were mostly spent in eastern North Carolina where her father owned multiple businesses. Her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, for a few years, then back to Wilson, North Carolina. Jane attended Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, where she was the May Day Beauty Queen. At Western Carolina, Jane majored in primary education and met her husband of almost 30 years, G. Weaver Hipps. She graduated, turned 22, and got married within the same week.
They moved to SW Florida (Arcadia) after their first anniversary where they lived for the next 10 years. Jane loved the warm weather and Weaver loved the golf. During those years, Jane earned her master’s degree in education. They adopted Kimberly Lynn Hipps (Meadows), moved to Fort Myers and a year later adopted Krista Dawn Hipps (Dennis). They remained happily in the same house with multiple dogs, a few cats, fish, hundreds of birds, a couple of different boats, various campers and eventually a motor home, beautiful gardens, dozens of fruit trees, and an incredible amount of love until Weaver passed away suddenly in 1988, just short of their 30th anniversary; Jane was only 52 years old. She never remarried.
Jane had a very strong support/friend group in Fort Myers where she was a highly adored kindergarten teacher for 34 years. Jane was very active in many events in the city of Fort Myers and at First United Methodist Church downtown; she supported and served her community, her church, and generations of school children tirelessly. She prepared home-cooked meals daily, complete with bread and desserts from scratch. Jane sewed matching outfits for Kimberly and Krista when they were young, created papier-mâché nativities and macrame plant hangers. She enjoyed camping trips with family/friends, reading, card games, shopping, laughing, accessorizing (with costume jewelry/shoes/belts/watches), little children, crossword puzzles, her daily newspaper, classic movies, Bible studies, and chocolate…lots of chocolate.
She loved well and was well loved; she had an incredible inner strength along with a gentle outward charm. Jane set a near-perfect, sacrificial and godly example for her daughters and for others. She moved from Fort Myers, a place she loved dearly, at age 83, to be closer to family as the cruel signs of dementia began to appear. She quickly made friends and settled into her new normal where she lived out her days with security and peace.
Jane’s beautiful smile, her soothing southern accent, her darling giggle, her angelic demeanor and her loving heart will be sorely missed but not forgotten. Jane is safely Home, in the arms of Jesus and there is no doubt that He welcomed her with those precious words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Jane is survived by her daughters, Kimberly and Krista, their husbands Mark K. Meadows and Bradley Y. Dennis, as well as her four grandsons, Joshua K. (Sophie) Meadows, Brian T. Meadows, Jacob Y. Dennis, and Nathan O. Dennis. They celebrate that she is reunited forevermore with her Heavenly Father, the husband she cherished, her loving parents, and so, so many dear friends…what blessed assurance…praising our Savior all the day long.
What’s your fondest memory of Jane?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jane?
Share a story where Jane's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jane you’ll never forget.
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