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Jane Murch, 87, of Valley View, TX passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Denton, Texas. Jane was born November 13, 1936 in Boston, Massachusetts to Mary Clark and Roger Stronge. Jane grew up in East Milton, Massachusetts. Jane married her one and only, high school sweetheart Robert (“Bob”) Murch on June 14, 1958 in Mattapan, Massachusetts. They graduated from Milton High School together in 1954 where Jane excelled in sports and theater. While living in Boston with her family, she attended Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. After graduation, she went to work at Brookline Savings Bank with her paternal aunt Mildred Stronge. Jane and Bob started their life’s journey in nearby Groton where they had two daughters. They moved to Springtown, Pennsylvania where Bob obtained his master’s degree at Lehigh University. Their third daughter was born there. After Bob got his Master’s Degree from Lehigh University, they moved their three daughters to Newark, Delaware. While in Delaware, Bob was pursuing his PhD in Chemical Engineering and Jane was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English. After graduating in 1966 with her degree in English, she started teaching but didn’t teach for long. While in Delaware, Jane gave birth to their fourth daughter. In 1969, Jane and Bob moved the family back to Massachusetts to the town of Wayland. Jane worked as an assistant to the Headmaster of Rivers County Day School, a boys private school. She genuinely enjoyed working there and was an asset for the school for almost 10 years. Jane later went to work for a sleep specialist doing medical billing where she was able to work from home before she left the workforce. While living in Wayland, Jane and Bob were busy working in local politics, attending the Church of the Holy Spirit, and playing spirited games of bridge with friends. Jane radiated peace, quiet and tranquility. This never steered her away from the chaos that came with the large family she and Bob created. With a family that consisted of four girls that later created their own families, ending up with eleven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren. With this large family, there was always something going on. Jane loved being in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, always supporting them with love and attention. Everyone looked forward to a visit from Grammy (Jane) and Grampy (Bob). During these visits, the grandchildren loved hearing all the stories about each of her bangle bracelets and seeing their initials and birthdates on her charm bracelet. She taught some grandchildren how to knit and crochet and shared her love of black coffee and the Boston Red Sox with them. Grammy embraced the chaos and brought calmness to each situation without complaint. If it ever became too much for her, she would find somewhere quiet to enjoy her current book or watch her beloved Boston Red Sox play. In 2014, Bob and Jane moved to Valley View, Texas to build a house next to their daughter Susan and her husband Ed Pickrel. When the house was finished, Bob and Jane lived there until they moved to Eagle Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center in Denton, Texas. Bob and Jane were never far from each other. They had the love everyone hopes and dreams of. Best friends and forever partners. All that knew them learned about love and devotion from their relationship. They chose to be by each other’s side through all of their life adventures. From high school dances, through babies, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, to hospice care; they were always holding hands until their very last days. They were the shining example of what it means to be a couple and challenged us all to attain this true love. This wonderful couple is finally reunited in heaven and together once again for eternity. Jane is survived by her daughters, Pam Martin and husband Scott, Susan Pickrel, Leah Murch, and Donna Jensen and husband Barry; sister-in-law, Marti McIntyre; eleven grandchildren, Maile Schneider and husband Brian, Robert and Jack Martin, James Pickrel, Stephanie Stout and husband David, Edward Pickrel and wife Myler, Cassie Dean and husband Tim, Cjersti, Kyla, Donnie and Quentin Jensen; and thirteen great grandchildren, Teddy, Walter, Penny and Vivian Schneider, David, Abby Beth, and Clayton Pickrel, Matthew, Kane, Wyatt and Deacon Stout, Laney and Edward Coyt Pickrel. Jane is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Emery Murch; parents, Mary Clark and Roger Stronge; sister, Patricia Stronge Hadley; brother-in-law, Jim McIntyre; son-in-law, Ed Pickrel; in-laws, Marjorie Ellis and Donald Murch. The family would like to thank the caregivers of Eagle Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center and Dallas Hospice & Palliative Care for their professional and loving care. On-line condolences may be shared at www.slaymemorialfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Terri Slay and Slay Memorial Funeral Center.

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Jane Murch

November 13, 1936 - July 11, 2024