Constance Jane Dobell (née Matthews)

With great sadness we announce the peaceful passing of Jane in the early hours of January 3, 2025 after a long and impactful life. Jane is survived by her loving daughter-in-law Gail (née Hughson) and grandson Reid (Alisha Sud), devoted cousins including Michael Pantazzi, and beloved nieces and nephews. Jane is predeceased by her husband of 69 years, Peter (2020), and her son Colin (2024).

Born to Arnold and Constance Matthews (née Greening), Jane attended Bishop Strachan School, received her undergraduate degree from Trinity College at the University of Toronto and a Masters in Adult Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

After graduation from UofT, Jane continued life enriched by travel. First teaching English in France, and then with husband Peter, a Canadian foreign service officer, Jane lived in England, Czechoslovakia, and New York, ultimately settling in Ottawa.

After building a home of their own in Rockcliffe Park in 1965, Jane became a tireless advocate for public education and training, focusing on increased access to educational resources for undereducated adults, promotion of children's literature, and development and support of French immersion programs at local and provincial levels. Her success prompted the federal government to appoint her Director of Language Programs where she oversaw federal support for bilingualism in schools across the country. Jane held many leadership positions in education including an elected trustee of the Rockcliffe Park Public School Board (1967-1969) and elected trustee of the Ottawa Board of Education for over 30 years, five terms as Chair.

Jane was also active in municipal affairs. She was an elected municipal counsellor for the Village of Rockcliffe Park from 1995-2000 and President of the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association from 2001-2004. Jane also served as a Board member for numerous educational institutions including Algonquin College, the University of Ottawa, and the Ontario Training and Adjustment Board.

One of Jane's great passions was children's literature. Bookshelves groaned under the weight of her collection of books but more significant was her support for the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, to which she donated the major part of her volumes and artist's drawings, the Rockcliffe Park Book Fair, and the Rockcliffe Park Spring Book Sale. Countless readers owe a large section of their bookshelves to the Rockcliffe Park Book Fair which Jane co-led from 1965 onwards, growing the community event into one of the largest book fairs in Ontario.

Jane was honoured to receive recognition for her commitment to education and her community including the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Order of Ottawa (2017), The Scotiabank Lifetime Achievement YMCA-YWCA Award, a Senior of the Year Award from the Province of Ontario (2021) and honorary degrees from Trinity College (UofT) (1988) and Carlton University (1989).

Jane's joy was time spent with family and friends in the places she loved, and more often than not, in nature. She and Peter developed a thriving community ("Peterswood") of friends and cottages near Buckingham, Quebec. At the age of 95, she spent a summer week at the family cottage on Georgian Bay soaking up the sun and inspecting her moss garden and beloved trees. And while she could no longer voyage to the Arctic, paddle the Nahanni, or hike at Lake O'Hara as in past years, Jane could still fondly recall every detail of past trips across Canada and farther afield including Russia, China, East and Western Europe, Africa, and South America. A great traveller and trailblazer, Jane will be missed for her inquisitive mind, commitment to community, and love for family and friends near and far.

The family thanks the dedicated personal support workers who lovingly cared for Jane, her friends and family who formed a circle of love around her, and the dedicated staff at Belmont House (Toronto), the Toronto General Hospital, and the Ottawa General Hospital.

Friends and Family are invited to gather at a celebration of Jane's life to be held on Wednesday May 21, 2025 at the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Ave. Ottawa from 2:30p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations in honour of Jane may be made to the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books.