Jane Marie Snail

Jane Marie Snail, aged 94, a resident of Carbondale, Illinois, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2021, at Shawnee Senior Living nursing home in Herrin, Ill. She was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, to John J. and Anna M. (née Gates) Will on April 30, 1926.



Jane graduated from Saint Mary’s Academy in Leavenworth and married Charles (Chuck) L. Snail on June 22, 1947. They relocated to Manhattan, Ks., where Jane worked as a secretary while Chuck completed his college education at Kansas State University. Subsequently they settled in Leavenworth, Ks., where their first three children were born (Lynne, Keith, and Mark). After moving to Topeka, Ks., in 1958, they added Daniel and Timothy to their family, before moving to Wheaton, Ill., in 1964. Jane was devoted to Chuck, her lifelong and only love. They were happily married for 68 years until he passed away in 2015.



Jane was an avid homemaker, gardener, and bird watcher. While her children were in college, she worked as a bookkeeper to help pay the tuition bills. She was a member of Saint John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Winfield, Ill. Later in life she dedicated numerous hours to Saint John’s as a Eucharistic minister and as part of the nursing home ministry. The Council of Catholic Women at St. John’s named Jane Woman of the Year in 1985. She also participated in Canasta Club and often served as hostess to the group. For many years she was a member of the DuPage County Homemakers Extension.



Jane was known for her grace, generosity and gentle laughter. In 2016, after 52 years in Wheaton, Jane moved to southern Illinois to be near her daughter, Lynne. She made new friends and came to love her fine caregivers at Villas of Holly Brook in Herrin, and later The Landings in Carbondale.



Jane is survived by her daughter Lynne (Scott) Davis; sons Keith, Mark, Daniel (Estela) and Timothy (Shaonan); eight grandchildren: Christopher Davis, Melanie, Gregory, Andrew, TZ, and Patrick Snail, Peter Russell, and Olivia (David) Vaccaro; and many nieces and nephews.



Jane was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Charles, her brother John Will, and her sister Dolores Halling.



A funeral mass for immediate family only will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021 at St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Carbondale, Ill., with Fr. Bob Flannery officiating; because of the COVID-19 pandemic, masks will be worn and social distancing will be practiced. Visitation (again, for immediate family only) will be at the church at 10:00 a.m. Meredith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For those who cannot attend, a livestream of the service will be available on the funeral home’s website (www.meredithfh.com).



Interment will be at Assumption Cemetery, Wheaton, Ill., and will be private. A celebration of life will be held in Wheaton at a later date.



In place of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund https://tinyurl.com/y5yul2av 781-237-3800, or Victory Dream Center Food Pantry, 607 E College St, Carbondale, IL 62901.



Three words that sum up Jane’s life are faith, love, and service.