Jane A. Schehl

Schehl

Jane Ann (Nee: Polewski)

Jane Ann Schehl passed away peacefully on July 4, 2022 at 101 years old. Jane was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Lawrence M. Schehl; parents, Stephen and Lillian (Nee Wiegele) Polewski, sister Ruth “Boots” (James) Cullen and brother Robert (Annetta) Polewski.

Jane is survived by her four daughters, Barb Schehl, Patti (Barney) Barnes, Janie (Thomas) Schaefer and Susan (Michael) Schiller; ten grandchildren, Jennifer (Cameron) McKinney, M. Jeffrey (Priya Raghavan) Schiller, Jacqueline (James) Feltner, Scott (Sherri) Schaefer, Dan (Bruce Sprague) Schaefer, Andrew (Kristina) Schaefer, Nicholas (Marissa) Schaefer, Jonathan (Sarah) Barnes, Matthew (Kate Weinberger) Barnes, Stephanie (Nick) Jackson; and 14 great-grandchildren, Mackenzie, Connor and Jacob Barnes, Weston and Whitman Felter, Kimari Lowery, Elliott, Cole and Oliver McKinney, Clare Schaefer, Caden and Quinn Schaefer, Astrid Schaefer, Jaanaki Schiller.

Jane was born at home on January 24, 1921 and was the first of three children of Stephen and Lillian Polewski. Her Baptism at St. Stanislaus Church for the Polish Congregation on Liberty and Cutter, six days after her birth, began a life-long commitment to her Catholic faith. Mom walked as a 6-year-old by herself from Mt. Auburn to St. Paul’s School in Pendleton for the first and second grades. After the family moved to Price Hill, she finished grade school at Resurrection School and went on to Seton High School. Mom went on to work as a secretary during the war and met Dad at a St. Lawrence Church picnic shortly after the war.

Mom and Dad were married at St. Lawrence Church on November 20, 1948 and moved to Mount Auburn. Mom retired nine months later when, to her surprise, she delivered twins Janie and Susan. Since Daddy was just a great teaser, no one in the family believed him when he shared the news. Patti and Barb both arrived a few years later and completed the family. By this time, we had had moved to Glenway Avenue where the family enjoyed the friendship of great neighbors and the girls started grade school at Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1958 the growing family needed more room and moved to Bridgetown where Mom was an active member of St. Jude Parish and lived for the next 64 years. Mom said her mother taught her the value of family and the importance of home, which she passed on to her daughters. We learned that “cleanliness is next to godliness” and we were taught how to clean, wash, iron, sew and embroider. Her nephew Ric Cullen described her home as always “immaculate.”

After her daughters were older, mom enjoyed a career in accounting until she retired in her early 60’s. But when Mom retired, she didn’t stop working – she just switched to volunteering and began a 30-year career helping non-profits big and small. She filed medical records for 20+ years until the former St. Francis-St. George Hospital transitioned to electronic medical records. She volunteered at the Cincinnati Museum Center, and when Susan began a non-profit career, she volunteered at Boys Hope Girls Hope, Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity, United Cerebral Palsy and Bethany House Services.

Mom was also a longtime caregiver. For years she cared for her mother, her Aunt Margie, and finally for her brother-in-law, Uncle Charlie, before he passed.

Mom kept active walking the neighborhood and going to Silver Sneakers at the YMCA twice a week. She enjoyed dinner and movies with friends and joined the Green Township Senior Citizens Center where she made new friends. She reconnected with her fellow 8th grade graduates from Resurrection School and enjoyed lunches with them.

Her daughters were her pride and joy. She dressed us in matching outfits. Every holiday there were new dresses and shoes, and Easter always included new hats, gloves and beautiful spring coats. She taught us your appearance is always important and she never left the house without lipstick, even for a walk around the neighborhood. Janie remembers asking her why she was putting lipstick on at the end of the day and she replied, “it is important to look nice for your father.”

Mom was a wife for 48 years and a widow for 26 years, and the ultimate mother for 72 years. She was shy and a woman of few words but was the greatest teacher to her daughters. She modeled the behavior she wanted to see. She was always kind and thoughtful and was the first to inquire about everyone else. She never gossiped or spoke badly of anyone. She ensured her daughters had a catholic education, knew the importance of appearance and dress, knew how to manage a home, oh and yes, that lipstick is always important! Most importantly, she taught us the values of family and parenting. This proved extremely valuable in the last few years, when she repaid her daughters for the challenges of child rearing and she became the “obstinate daughter.”

The last years of mom’s life brought many, many laughs! Without the laughter, her declining health and behavior would have been even more challenging! While we have been blessed to have mom with us for 101 years, that would never have been possible without the caregiving of Barb since 2015 and Patti since 2018. We have been extremely blessed to have Barb’s and Patti’s dedication.

Visitation with family will be held at St. William Church, 4108 W. 8th St, Cincinnati, OH 45205 on Monday, July 25, from 9:30am until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to Bethany House Services Capital Campaign, 1841 Fairmount Avenue, Cincinnati OH 45214 www.bethanyhouseservices.org/donate or to The Hearing Speech and Deaf Center, 2825 Burnet Avenue, Suite 330,Cincinnati OH 45219 www.hearingspeechdeaf.org