Jane Twining Roy

Jane Twining Osterhoudt Roy
Jane Twining Osterhoudt Roy, 86, Topeka, passed away Monday, October 18, 2010, at Stormont Vail Hospital, after a brief illness surrounded by family.
Jane was born July 6, 1924, in Rome, NY, to Searles Haviland Osterhoudt and Gretchon Emogene Dillenbeck, who preceded her in death.
Jane married William Robert Roy September 7, 1947, when he was a junior at Northwestern University Medical School. She supported his education working in the advertising industry in Chicago until the birth of their first child. She is survived by her husband and all of their six children – daughters Robin Sweeney (spouse Craig Sweeney) of Scranton PA, Randy Roy (William Kasper, deceased) of Topeka, Richelle Roy (Clark Bachman) of Topeka, son William R. Roy, Jr. (Juanita DeMotte Roy) of Lenexa, and daughters Renee Roy (Bruce Copley) of Shoreview, MN and Rise Roy (David Gerrish) of Fairbanks, AK; as well as by her ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Also surviving is Keiko Saeki Maruo of Kobe, Japan, who came to live with the family as an international exchange student in 1966-67, and became very much a member of the family with many international visits.
Jane is survived by her sister Virginia Staker of Bridgewater, NJ; she was preceded in death by her older sister Natalie O'Connor of Shelton, WA.
Jane earned her BA degree in Drama and English Literature from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL in 1945. She and her husband both earned their Juris Doctor degrees from Washburn University School of Law in 1970, where she was one of only three women graduates in her class, and one of the first two women to earn their degrees as mothers. Jane worked as a Trustee of the Shawnee County District Court. She was appointed by Governor John Carlin to serve as the first woman on the Kansas Corporation Commission, 1979-83.
She served as Democratic National Committeewoman for Kansas from 1983-87, and before that as 2nd District Chair of the Kansas Democratic Party.
Jane was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Phi Delta Delta legal fraternity, and Topeka First United Methodist Church.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church, 600 Topeka Boulevard. Memorial contributions may be made to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA or Antioch Baptist Church of Topeka or Topeka Center for Peace and Justice, 501 SE Jefferson, Topeka, KS 66607
Penwell-Gabel Southwest Chapel is in charge of arrangements.