Jane Michael, long-time volunteer at Granny’s Attic, died Nov. 20, 2002, of heart failure at Providence Hospital in Seattle. She was 86 years old.

She died surrounded by the love and in the presence of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was born Elizabeth Jane Moss May 24, 1916, in Colorado, the ninth of 12 children born to Iza Mae (Baker) Moss and Henry B. Moss.

She grew up riding horseback and enjoying her youth as a tomboy on the plains of Colorado until, at the age of 18 while visiting family, Jane’s mother was killed in a horse and buggy accident and she returned home to help raise her younger brothers and sister.

By the time Jane and Jim were married in 1935, the Dust Bowl had hit Colorado. They had two sons and toiled as dirt farmers during the first years of their marriage. But by the time their daughter was born, running the farm was left to Jane and the two young boys while Jim went to work at whatever he could find in town.

Eventually, in 1952 they moved to California where Jane managed a small business. In 1964, she moved to Seattle and worked at the Olympic Hotel until her retirement in 1982. Slowly over the years, one-by-one, her children and then her grandchildren followed her to Washington.

At the time of her death all of her family members except one grandson and great-grandson (who are in Louisiana) lived nearby. Not only was Jane the glue that held her family together, she was a magnet of love and acceptance that drew them all to her.

She moved to Vashon in 1987. She chauffeured her granddaughter and friends around Vashon and volunteered as a cashier at Granny’s Attic until three years ago. After she retired from Granny’s she stayed active, enjoying her friends and taking care of anyone who might need or want her attention, until her illness began to take its toll last May.

She did not have an easy life but she always said she had no regrets, her family says.

Her parents, 11 siblings, husband James Wilbur, son James Warren and grandson Brian Brown, all died earlier.

Survivors include a son Kenneth of Oak Harbor, daughter Mike and granddaughter Sasja, of Vashon Island and six grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.