Jane Ellen Lepley

Lepley, Jane Ellen, passed away Thursday, January 27, 2005 at Woodside Hospice, after a year-long battle with cancer. She was born on August 21, 1934 in Bluefield, West Virginia to James and Edna Mae Blosser who preceded her in death. She lived in St. Petersburg since 1961 where she started her career at the Evening Independent before merging with the St. Petersburg Times in 1986. During her 38 year career Jane was a reporter, a copy editor, a designer, and also arranged for special photos as Assistant Photo Editor before retiring in 2000. She was a member of the Silver Key Club and current Treasurer of the Florida Press Women?s Association and was also past President of the national Federation of Press Women. During her career at he Evening Independent/St. Petersburg Times, Jane earned numerous awards for content and design and for her journalism. She attended college at Concorde College in Athens, West Virginia, before moving to St. Petersburg and attending USF where she graduated with her Bachelors degree in English from the class of 1964. Jane was a very loving mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and friend to many. She enjoyed life, her family, her many friends, traveling, playing bridge, and shopping. She was a true Southern Bell and always had a kind word and kind heart for everyone. She enjoyed baking her famous banana nut bread and warming people?s hearts with it, along with her fudge at Christmas time. She especially enjoyed her many years of volunteer work at the Mahaffey Theatre, and the Palladium. She was a wonderful Christian and a member of North East Park Baptist Church where she enjoyed volunteering at the clothes closet and taking trips with the senior group. Her smiles and laughter will be missed by many. Survivors include two daughters, Lisa Smithson and Lynnie Hinckley, one son, Senior Master Sgt. Rick Lepley, and one son-in-law, Mike Hinckley, all of St. Petersburg, a sister, Margaret Mills and her husband Jerry, a brother, Bill Blosser, and his wife Connie, all of St. Petersburg, four grandchildren, Chris Hinckley, St. Petersburg, Shantell Smithson, Delray Beach, Jeff Hinckley, Tampa, and Shannon Smithson, St. Petersburg, and one great-grandson, Emory Smithson of St. Petersburg, along with many extended family members and friends. Anderson-McQueen Funeral & Cremation Centers-N.E. St. Petersburg Chapel.