Jane Elizabeth Barnes
May 20, 1950 -
Jan 27, 2023
Jane Barnes passed away on Jan. 27, 2023, from complications of cancer. She is preceded in death by her parents, Douglas and Lucille Barnes (nee Veach); and survived by her life companion, Rick Outwin; siblings and their spouses, Merle and Carolyn, David and Becky, Ann and Terry Spitzenberger, and their children.
Jane was born in Oshkosh, Neb., population approximately 1,000, and grew up within rural Nebraska and Kansas, developing a lifetime appreciation for wide open spaces, human and animal life, and the arts. Jane graduated from Lincoln Kansas High School in 1968 and earned her nursing degree at South Dakota State University in 1978, where she also studied music therapy. She learned to drive in the back fields and found her adventurous spirit drew her to Alaska in 1979. Nursing held her interest for a time, but other ventures such as tending bar in Willow rounded out her Alaskan experience before she was back to the Lower 48 to earn her master's degree in psychiatric nursing at Wayne State in Detroit in 1985. Jane had Alaska in her veins and moved back permanently within the year. Jane's career took shape with positions at Charter North Hospital, Covenant House Alaska and eventually she retired, in 2009, after 15 years at Alaska Psychiatric Institute as Director of Nursing.
Jane's spirit and moral character lead her to many volunteering opportunities. She was an active member of P.E.O. Chapter Q, in Chugiak, Alaska, and served P.E.O. on State committees. She coordinated with City Gardens to allow Chapter Q to maintain Marianna Koehler Memorial Park, where she so enjoyed spending time with friends planting and caring for the garden throughout the summer. Jane delighted in the community, enjoying the beauty created there. The Barnes family had a strong connection with P.E.O., as both her mother and sister were and are members.
An art lover in any form, Jane became an usher for the Performing Arts Center in Anchorage where she could see all the stage performances she desired. She worked with Alzheimer patients, with at-risk youth, was active member of two book clubs and volunteered at the election polls for years. Friends knew Jane for her wonderfully giving spirit - she helped people with chores and appointments, and even brought cases of toilet paper to friends when the big COVID-19 shortages caught some off guard.
Jane was an avid puzzler of both jigsaw and word variety. Rick would often announce that she even did her crosswords with an ink pen! The few who rarely got one over on her in Scrabble would mark the calendar with an ink pen for posterity.
Among gardening, sewing, beading and taking many Ole' classes, Jane was never idle. She seemed to be the backbone of her many groups and friends. She loved to entertain, and all loved to gather at her place for events like the Chugiak 4th of July parade each year.
Please join our Celebration of Jane's life on May 20, 2023, at 2 p.m., at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 18444 Old Glenn Highway, Chugiak AK 99567. Reception to follow at the Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to, P.E.O. Chapter Q Chugiak, P.O. Box 672425, Chugiak, AK 99567; Memo: In Memory of Jane E. Barnes. Checks should be made out to P.E.O. Foundation, Chapter Q Chugiak, AK.
