Jane Louise Morris

Jane Louise Morris, an accomplished and influential public servant and long-time resident of Mesa, AZ passed away Thursday evening September 1, 2016, from complications following cancer surgery. Jane was the youngest of four children born in Highland Park, IL in 1959 to Robert B. and Louise Spaeth Morris. She is survived by her husband of 27 years, Bryan Raines and their two children, Carter E. of Billings, MT, and Emily K. of Mesa, her father Robert B. Morris of Evanston, IL, her sister Sandra L. Morris of Lititz, PA and her brother Rolf "Buck" Morris of Boulder, CO. She was preceded in death by her brother Paul Spaeth Morris and mother Louise. Raised in Glencoe, IL, Jane attended Central School and was a 1977 graduate of New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL. She was an athlete and was Co-captain of the 1980 field hockey Big-10 championship team at the University of Iowa. She received her Master's Degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University. Jane was a retired public servant with a long career spanning more than 3 decades that started in Skokie, IL, encompassed a variety of positions during her 25 year with the City of Phoenix and concluded recently after several years of service as the Executive Director/CEO of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Jane was driven by her love of her family, sports, travel and outdoor activities. She often stated that her professional accomplishments were less important than any help, encouragement or advice she could give to her two children of whom she was especially proud. Through the years her support for her children included time as a girl scout leader, soccer coach and "team mom." She was a constant and supportive fan of her children's athletic and academic endeavors, her alma mater, Iowa, and any team and sport on which she knew players. In recent years she had become an advocate and supporter of the benefits that Title IX had provided to collegiate women athletes beginning in her era and continuing through today. Much of Jane's professional career while with the City of Phoenix included project management responsibilities for several high-profile facilities. These included, but were not limited to the Phoenix City Hall and Orpheum Theatre, public art projects and administrative facilities for cultural organizations, the expanded Phoenix Convention Center, initiation of the light rail extension and the opening phases of Sky Train project at Sky Harbor International Airport. Jane retired from the City of Phoenix as a Deputy City Manager in 2012. While serving as the Executive Director/CEO of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Jane was responsible for planning and development work for future expansion and a wide variety of economic development and facility improvement projects. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, September 24th at 1:30 PM in the Orpheum Theatre adjacent to the Phoenix City Hall at 203 West Adams St. A reception will follow directly in the lobby areas of the Theatre. Jane will be interred alongside her mother and brother in her home town of Glencoe, IL at a later date. The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Jane's memory to the Women Leading Government WLG Initiative sponsored by Arizona City/County Management Association. Recently formed in Arizona, this program assists women in their career development towards becoming exceptional local leaders. Checks can be made payable to: Arizona City/County Management Association and sent to: Arizona City/County Management Association, Attention WLG, 1820 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007