East Bridgewater – Jane (Alexander) Haines, 61, of East Bridgewater, died Sunday March 1st. The daughter of Margaret (Nutter) Alexander and the late Richard W. Alexander, she is also survived by her husband Ted; four children, John Haines and his wife Rachael, Samuel Haines, Margaret Haines and Abigail Haines; two grandchildren, Benjamin Haines and Yvonne Haines; and the ladies of The Club.
A graduate of East Bridgewater High School, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. After graduation, she taught first grade in the towns of Bridgewater and East Bridgewater, and New Boston, NH. For many years, she served as the local correspondent for The Enterprise, covering both East and West Bridgewater, and later wrote a monthly column for Our Town and Our Times. In 2004 she became the director of the East Bridgewater Council on Aging.
A talented musician, she had played French horn with the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Hingham Civic Orchestra and South Shore Concert Band for many years.
Jane was a member of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Bridgewater. She served as chair of the Board of Trustees, sang in the choir and for a time was religious education director. She was a member of the East Bridgewater Garden Club and had been very active in the La Leche League. She served as a trustee of the Central Cemetery, on her town’s Library Board of Trustees, Historical Commission, chaired the Senior Center Building Committee, and was past President of the Historical Society and Plymouth County Genealogists. Over the past 15 years, Jane and her mother spent many hours showing old photographs to and sharing stories about the town with groups ranging from kindergarteners to senior citizens. This past December, she was honored by the Rotary Club of the Bridgewaters as their East Bridgewater Citizen of the Year.
Although dedicated to community, her most treasured times were spent with family. Some of her favorite memories were of family and friends on vacation at Newfound Lake in Bristol, NH.
Visiting hours will be held Thursday March 5th from 4pm to 8pm in the Blanchard Funeral Chapel Plymouth Street (Rt. 58 at the rotary) Whitman. A memorial service will be held on Friday March 6th at 11am in the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Bridgewater. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jane’s name to the East Bridgewater Senior Center Building Fund 137 Central Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333, Old Colony Hospice 1 Credit Union Way Randolph, MA 02368, or to the charity of your choice.