Jane Mezera

(nee Esau) Passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 14, at St. Camillus Health Center in Wauwatosa at age 96. Jane was born in Milwaukee on January 4, 1922 to Carl and Mathilde (nee Hoffmann) Esau. She attended the Wisconsin State Teacher's College (now UWM) and, after graduating, taught kindergarten in Milwaukee Public Schools for ten years. She married Frank Mezera in 1947 and they relocated to Washington State in 1955. Frank and Jane divorced in 1960. Jane continued to teach kindergarten in the Aberdeen School District for 26 more years, retiring in 1981. She was active in the Driftwood Players, a local community theatre, where she directed or appeared on stage in 27 plays and musicals during her theatrical career, and also served as President of the group for several years. She also directed an annual Children's Play for many years to develop an appreciation for the theatre in the local school-aged children. She was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aberdeen, Washington for many years, serving as a religious education teacher and Eucharistic Minister, among other roles. She helped to organize and later direct the Parish's Feed the Hungry program for 18 years. She was named Grays Harbor Citizen of the Year in 1992 by the local newspaper, The Aberdeen Daily World, in recognition of her service to the local community. Jane enjoyed travelling, most often accompanied by her longtime companion, the late Betty Jean Gretsch. Japan, Africa, and Hawaii were her favorite destinations. She visited all seven continents in her travels, with multiple excursions to Europe, Africa, India, China, and Japan. She also sailed on numerous cruises, including an around the world cruise in 1991. Jane enjoyed painting, where she favored recreating scenes on canvas from her travels, playing bridge with friends, and participating in her book club. She maintained close ties to her Wisconsin school mates during the years she lived in Washington and made semiannual trips to Wisconsin to visit family and friends until her later years. Jane was able to live in her Aberdeen area home until 2012, when she moved into an Aberdeen-area assisted living facility. She remained there until 2014, when her family helped to move her to St. Camillus in Wauwatosa. She was an active nonagenarian in St. Camillus until recently, attending daily mass, playing bingo, and participating in painting classes. Jane was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Mathilde, formerly of West Milwaukee, her brother Charles, and her close companion of many years, Betty Jean Gretsch. She is survived by her sister Nancy Koehn (John) of Menomonee Falls, her sister-in-law June Esau of Franklin, 12 nieces and nephews, 23 grandnieces and grandnephews, and 7 great grandnieces and great grandnephews. Those who knew Jane, from students to relatives to her good friends, were inspired by her deep faith and joy of life. Visitation Thursday, July 26 from 10-11 AM at St. Camillus Guardian Angel Chapel, 10101 W. Wisconsin Ave., Wauwatosa, with a Funeral Mass at 11 AM. Burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery.