Obituary
Jane Courtland Murphy Gandee
August 18, 1920 to February 28, 2022
We are saddened by the passing of our dear mother, Jane Gandee, who had been ill after contracting the covid virus. She was at home under the care of her daughter, her loving caregivers, and prayer/support of her family.
Jane was born August 18, 1920, in Charlotte, NC, to Herbert C and Ella Sanford Murphy. Her father played and managed baseball when she was born. They lived in Thomasville, GA, then moved to Tallahassee when she was about 5 years old. Jane’s mother, Ella, worked at the State Women’s College and made education an important part of her children’s childhood. Jane attended kindergarten through high school in teaching schools located on the college campus, then earned a BA degree at the college. At the end of World War II, the Women’s College became a coed school and was renamed Florida State University.
In 1946, Jane moved to Winter Park from her family home in Tallahassee. She married her sweetheart, Ray Gene Gandee and together they raised four children, a daughter and 3 sons. In 1955, they purchased and moved a large house from downtown Winter Park onto their property on Minnesota Avenue that became their family home. Jane was unexpectedly widowed in 1962, leaving her with limited resources and the task of raising her children (aged 7-14) by herself. She was resourceful, creating ways to keep their home and to provided a good home life for her family.
After her children were grown and on their own, Jane worked as a travel agent for 10 years, giving her the opportunity to create and lead tours to far away places in Australia, China, India, Egypt and most countries throughout Europe. Later she traveled by car, train or ship to parts of Canada, Alaska, Mexico and the western USA. She enjoyed vacationing in the mountains of North Carolina. Her favorite place was always a family cottage built by her parents on the Gulf coast in the panhandle of Florida.
Jane was a seamstress, a master quilter, an avid reader, a gardener, and enjoyed seeing new things and places. She played the piano and enjoyed live theater, opera and orchestra performances. She was always happy to tag along on adventures, even into her late 90’s. Jane loved her family, her home and yard with big oak trees, her patio garden and the flowering trees, azaleas and camellias around her yard.
She was generous with what she had and opened her home up to friends of her son’s, Flip, David and others, who grew to love and respect her and have remained loyal, lifelong friends. Jane had dementia and as she got older she loved watching the world from her window, seeing squirrels and birds on the feeders outside and she always made up funny stories about people and cars that passed by.
Jane is survived by her four children, Mary Jane, Gene, Tom (daughter-in-law Sandye) and David (daughter-in-law Maureen); her grandchildren Stephanie, Michele, Thomas, Savannah, Sarah and Ian; her great grandchildren Austin and Nicole; and her sister, Betty Murphy Williams.
She will be missed by all.
Memorial Donations in Jane’s name may be made to AdventHealth Hospice Care of Central Florida, 480 W. Central Parkway, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society would like to extend their sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Jane Courtland Murphy Gandee who passed away on February 28, 2022.
A Service will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 at Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society Orlando chapel located at 1654 N. Semoran Blvd, Suite 130, Orlando FL 32807, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
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