A celebration of life was held Tuesday night for Soldotna resident Jane Stein. She died last month at the age of 87.
Stein was born in 1932 in Princeton, Indiana to Ross and Myrtle McEllhiney. She attended Purdue University where she met her husband, David, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in home economics.
Stein was was deeply involved in the community from the time she and David moved to the Peninsula in 1988, following an almost thirty year career in education.
While she retired in Soldotna, she did not slow down. Stein served on innumerable boards and with organizations ranging from 4-H to the hospital auxiliary. She was a founding director of the Bridges Community Resource Network and remained active in the church throughout her life, serving as a Sunday school teacher and choir director. She was also involved in local politics, serving on the Soldotna city council. Her volunteer work earned her a number of awards, including a distinguished alumni award from Purdue. She was also, among other titles, named Governor’s First Lady Volunteer of the Year, Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year, Lion’s Club Citizen of the Year along with a host of other honors.
She’s survived by her husband of 65 years, David, son George and daughter Kathy and their spouses, three grand-children and five great grandsons.