Jane Mendleson

Jane Mendleson of Topsham ME passed away peacefully on November 28. She was born in New York City on April 5, 1945 to Alan N and Babette (Kafka) Mendleson. She was predeceased by her brothers Jerry and Alan Jr. She is survived by her nieces Patti Fender, Debbie Mendleson, Holly Selleck, Sue Mendleson and Heidi Dalaklis and nephew Alan Mendleson III and also their children and grandchildren. Jane was a Certified Nurse Midwife with a Masters of Science in Maternity Nursing. She started two Pregnant Teen Education Programs: one in Portland, one in Daytona, FL. She also served as the school Nurse in Raymond. Jane was also fond of live theater. She spent two seasons at the Boothbay Playhouse. She was the Assistant Stage Manager for the Opening Ceremony of the Cumberland County Civic Center (now Cross Arena). She worked with the Portland Players for many years: on-stage and backstage. She always said she "carried on two careers: nursing by day and theater by night." Jane became very active with her beloved canine companions. She trained, competed, and earned titles with her dogs in American Kennel Club (AKC) performance events: Obedience, Rally, Agility. She also competed in and earned Agility titles in United Kennel Club (UKC), Canine Performance Events (CPE), and Toy Dog Agility Association (TDAA). Her successes are impressive especially considering they were not with typical “obedience” breeds. Stories of her well-named Boston Terrier Popcorn are still repeated. The others were Peanut Butter (mixed breed), Pretzel (Pug), Praline (Pug), Star (Boston), Sprout (Brussels Griffon), Trouble (Brussels), Charm (Brussels) and Rainbow (all-American). Jane was a member of several obedience clubs in ME and FL for whom she was an over-achieving worker bee. She led training classes and further taught her students to have the proper respect for those working the trials by dressing neatly and paying attention to the judge. Jane was always about “perfection” which perfectly aligns with the nearly impossible goal of her sport. She was very proud to be the first to become an AKC Rally Judge through the rigorous approval process when the sport was new. Jane was also exceptionally crafty; she enjoyed needlepoint, jewelry crafting and even had her own hand-made leash & dog toy business. She was instrumental with organizing the annual holiday crafts fair at the Highlands where she resided. Jane wore many other volunteer hats at the Highlands: many thought she was part of the staff. She answered questions for prospective residents, made sure new residents felt welcome, participated in every charitable event, assisted with seasonal decorations, and offered a helping hand anywhere she could. Jane requested no services. Continuing her dedication to her home, in lieu of flowers, she suggested any contributions be made to the Highlands Resident Assistance Fund. Jane was a treasured friend to everyone who knew her. She had a contagious smile, sparking eyes and a heart that had no limits.

Jane Mendleson

April 5, 1945 - November 28, 2022