Barbara Jean Kane

Barbara Jean Kane, age 85, of Wayne passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Barbara was born to John and Jean Meyer at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, NJ.  She attended Hawthorne High School.

Barbara’s first job was working as a telephone operator for New Jersey Bell.  After working there for several years, she left to start a family.  When she retuned to work she got a job at Western Publishing Company in Wayne.  She became a supervisor in the Shipping and Receiving Department. After retiring from Western Publishing Company she took a part-time job at Neiman Marcus, where she earned several Employee of the Month awards. 

Barbara was a military wife for 20 years. She was a loving wife and mother, devoted to her family, always looking to put them first: she got her driver’s license when she was in her thirties so she could drive her kids to baseball and softball games, cub scouts and girl scout meetings and all other activities they were involved in.  She loved having the family together.  For many years she would always have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at her house.  The entire family would look forward to having her famous stuffing.  Barbara was an avid bowler, belonging  to a league at T-Bowl Lanes in Wayne.  She also enjoyed crocheting. She had made hundreds of beautiful Afghans over the years.  She would give them to family and friends, also donating many of them to churches and non-profit organizations.  Barbara had a great sense of humor and really enjoyed a good laugh.

Barbara met Dave while working at New Jersey Bell in Paterson.  He was twenty-three and she was nineteen.  After dating for a couple years they were married on January 11, 1960 at St Anthony Church in Hawthorne.  They honeymooned in Niagara Falls, Canada.  Dave and Barbara’s marriage was blessed with three children: Mark, Jacqueline and David.  They have enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of sixty-four years.

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Barbara is survived by her husband David, her children, Mark and his wife Tina of West Milford, her daughter Jacqueline of Hawthorne and her son David and his wife Lisa of Kinnelon.  Her nine grandchildren, Kristen, Daubert and her husband Chris, Ashley Hickey, Joe Hickey, Jason Kane and his fiancé Alexa Lower, Tara Doan, Dylan Kane, Kyle Kane, Troy Kane, Sean Kane.  Three great-grandchildren, Julianne Daubert, Liam and Lucas Doan.  Her sister Judy Barber and her husband Al of Hawthorne and many nieces and nephews.  She was Predeceased by her brother John Meyer and her sister Marion Coleson.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Barbara's memory to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated.