Jane D. Mooney Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Jane Derden Mooney It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Jane Mooney. She passed away on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Martha Jane Derden was born in Athens, GA, September 2, 1930, the only child of Martha and Henry Derden. After attending college, she married Neil Mooney, and together they moved their family to Florida. They settled in Tallahassee, FL, in the early 1960s. A well-known educator, she taught at multiple local schools, including Leon High, Tallahassee Community College, and eventually went on to become headmistress of Holy Comforter Episcopal School. She would complete her long career in education as Head of the lower division at All Saint’s Academy in Winter Haven, FL then started a lower division at Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Peterburg, FL. After retiring for the third time they returned to Tallahassee where she enjoyed birding and raising Monarch Butterflies. An avid reader, she also excelled in lapidary and silver smithing, quilting, knitting and writing short stories. She and Neil were also collectors and admirers of fine art and passed on a love of the arts to their children and grandchildren. They went on to donate a large pre-Columbian and African art collection to Florida State University Fine Arts Museum. Jane was also a great lover of mysteries, both in books and television. She never missed an episode of Murder She Wrote, Matlock, Perry Mason, or Columbo and frequently determined who-done-it before the first commercial played. Tony Hillerman, J.A. Jance, and Sue Grafton, were a few of her favorite mystery writers and she would often read more than one book at a time. Through the years she was known by many names, Martha Jane, Miss Jane, Mama and one former headmaster she worked with even dubbed her the “Steel Magnolia.” But her most cherished name, “GrandJane” was given to her by her first grandchild. From then on all of her students knew her by that name and one even introduced her as “The GrandJane of our school.” GrandJane leaves behind her devoted husband Neil, of 71 years, her daughters Becky Slade (Steve), and Cyndi Mooney, her grandchildren Sarah Asham (Matthew), Clarke Cannon (Laura), and Morganne Hamby, and her great grandchildren Juniper Beckett, Les Williams, and Luca Asham. Our deepest appreciation, and sincere gratitude goes to Big Bend Hospice, whose love, help, and support was instrumental in helping our family during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Big Bend Hospice in memory of Jane Mooney, which may be made at https://bigbendhospice.charityproud.org/Donate. A celebration of life will be announced at a later time. Skip Young and Jackie Fulford of Young Fulford Funeral Home and Crematory are assisting the family with the arrangements.

Jane D. Mooney

September 2, 1930 - May 31, 2023