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Gary & Jan France

 

 

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Reflections from Gary France about his wife Jan's commitment to conservation:

You asked me to relate Jan’s feelings about nature and its conservation.  This is a bit hard to do.  Jan wasn’t the type of person who discussed such things or wore them on her sleeve as many people do.  Jan was a person who quietly acted on the things she felt should be important to all of us as best she could.

Conservation of our lands, our rivers, and all creatures great and small, wild and domestic, were very important to her.  She donated to many organizations over the years dedicated to those efforts, including The Nature Conservancy.  We live about three-quarters mile from the Blue River.  We crossed it many times together on Totten Ford bridge.  Often we stopped on the bridge to enjoy the peaceful beauty, and at other times, the majestic roar and power of the little stream.  Hence, her love for the little river and her desire to do something specific for it.

To completely understand her donation, you need to understand the lady a little more.  A few days after Jan’s death, I was sitting on the couch and for some unknown reason, my attention was drawn to a spiral ring notebook on a table in the living room.  My attention stopped at the notebook because there appeared to be something paper-clipped to the inside of the front cover.  Jan referred to this notebook several times a day because it contained important lists, dates, and various notes.  When I opened the front cover, I found a small piece of paper that she had clipped from some unknown publication.  As I read it line-by-line, I began to nod my head in agreement.  On completion, the thought that went through my mind was “Yes, that was my Lady.”  I realized that Jan was trying to live life by this creed.  I believe she succeeded.  Below is what that piece of paper contained:

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is a beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, fight for it.
Mother Teresa

-- Gary France,  in memory of Jan France