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Emily “Jane” Belcher
Montevallo

Emily “Jane” Belcher, age 84, of Montevallo, died Saturday, June 27.

The private graveside service was Wednesday, July 1 at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Hoover, Alabama. Ridout’s Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham handled arrangements.

Jane was born in Marietta, Georgia, the youngest of five Phillips girls.

She is survived by her sister, Mary Gentry of Ellijay, Georgia; son, Steven Belcher (Annette) of Lake Charles, Louisiana; daughter, Susan Lehman (Herman) of Montevallo; two grandsons, Treville and Joseph Belcher; one granddaughter, Jillyan Bevlaqua; and many close cousins, nieces, nephews, and their children.

Jane’s husband, Evans Belcher, died in August 2003. They met while serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1955. While in the Air Force, Jane also met her soon-to-be maid of honor, and friend to this day, Vernie Widener of Mount Ida, Arkansas. After leaving the Air Force and marrying Evans in November 1955, Jane moved to her husband’s hometown of Central City, Kentucky, where she still has numerous close friends.

As Evans advanced in his career with AT&T, Jane and her family moved around a lot. Everywhere she went, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Pelham, she touched many lives and developed lifelong friendships, perhaps most notably with their dearest friends from Bowling Green, the late June and Wallace Hardcastle, and their two children, Mark Hardcastle and Kim Reed.

During her career, Jane was an active member of the Birmingham Sertoma Club. She was also an active member of Valleydale Christian Church and a welcomed visitor to University Baptist Church in Montevallo.

In recent years, Jane followed her daughter and son-in-law to her current home in Montevallo. True to form, it didn’t take long for Jane to make a host of new friends – which was admittedly accelerated by spending Friday afternoons enjoying bourbon and cokes with the gang on the porch of the Eclipse.

Jane was also a familiar face at EI Agave and Main Street Tavern, where she was always welcomed with open arms – and was also known to enjoy a beverage or two. In addition, she especially relished trips with family and friends.

Whether it was spending a day boating on the Barren River (which was a bit odd since she couldn’t swim), taking an extended road trip out west, enjoying a weeklong trip at the beach, cruising to some tropical isle, watching the leaves turn from the porch of a mountain get-a-way, or playing a slot machine in Wetumpka, Jane knew how to have a good time. She also really enjoyed watching Alabama Football games, especially if she was watching the game while at the beach or in the mountains.

The party, life, just won’t be the same without Jane. She was one of a kind, a lot of fun, and truly loved by all.

The family expresses their special thanks to Jane’s friends and caregivers – Tena Whitworth, Christine Baylor, and Bonnie Godfrey. Their dedication and comfort to Jane in her final weeks are much appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in Jane’s honor to your favorite charity, or to Shelby Emergency Assistance in Montevallo.