Jane Margaret Kocurek Ward Hill entered this world on July 29, 1940, the fourth of six children belonging to WA and Della (Naiver) Kocurek of Rosenberg, Texas.
She joined the heavenly choir on September 2, 2023, at Peach Creek Assisted Living surrounded by those who loved her.
A visitation for Jane was held on Sunday, September 10, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell.
Funeral Service began at 10 a.m. at the Snook Brethren Church, with brother Joseph Polasek officiating.
Interment followed the service at Morton cemetery in Richmond, Texas, at 3 p.m.
Jane lived an exciting and full life, spending much time in her garden growing all kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers, and then sharing them with family and friends.
She was an avid reader, loving romance, history, cookbooks and the occasional textbook to learn more about plants and gardening. For many years, she made hundreds of pickles for the Annual Christian Sister’s Bazaar in Rosenberg.
She loved to sew and enjoyed making quilts for people of all ages with the Binky Patrol Comforting Covers for Kids in Caldwell.
She was also an artist but mostly sketched for her own enjoyment. Jane loved to tell stories of growing up, especially those involving food and kolaches or special dishes her mom made for them, which explains her love of cooking.
Jane graduated from Lamar High School in Rosenberg, Texas, in 1958 along with her current husband, Glen Hill. They grew up together and attended Wharton County Junior College together where she received an Associate of Arts degree. She later completed a course of study at the Commercial Art School in Houston.
Their lives took different paths and she met, fell in love with and married David Ward. They had two children, Chris Ward and Sabrina Ward Greenlee. Unfortunately, they divorced and went their separate ways. David Ward preceded her in death.
Jane and Glen found each other again after Glen’s wife passed from cancer. They were married at First Baptist Church of Rosenberg right after the morning service on December 26, 1993, with the reception held at Rosenberg Brethren Church. They spent thirty years together traveling the United States and abroad, volunteering in a Nursing Home Devotional Ministry, church choir and gardening.
She was also busy with things at the Burleson County Fair, Kolache Baking Contest and Christian Care in Caldwell.
Jane went to Peach Creek Assisted Living in April of 2022, five years after a stroke left her with Vascular Dementia plus hereditary Alzheimer’s Disease.
Jane was an exceptionally skilled florist, working in Illinois, Washington, and Texas, even designing for a State Design School. She was a partner in Kocurek’s Terra Flora for over thirty years.
She often talked about her job with BoeingAircraft in Seattle, Washington, and the fun of all the snow that she missed during the hot Texas summers. She also talked about accepting Christ as her Savior at a Baptist church in Seattle.
As a child, she helped with the family laundry business and Nursery along with her sister, Frances.
Jane was preceded in death by her parents, WA and Della (Naiver) Kocurek; brothers, Marvin and wife, and William and wife, Mary Jane; her sister, Joyce (Kocurek) Brooks; and her first husband, David Ward.
She is survived by her husband, Glen Hill; children, Chris Ward, wife, Jennifer, Sabrina (Ward) Greenlee, Laura (Hill) Hopp and husband, Charles, Lisa (Hill) Boatwright and husband, David; grandchildren, Matthew Hill, Devin Brooks, Luke Patterson, Dorothy Jane Patterson, Joshua Hopp, Kathlene Hopp, Connor Kelly; and greatgranddaughter, Silvia Hopp. Her survivors also include nieces and nephews, Conway and Connie Wheat and family, Janet and Hoby Payne and family, Erick and Jennifer Kocurek and family, and Omar and Kija Han Kocurek and family as well as two sisters, Frances Wheat of Burleson, and Alice Kocurek of Snook, and her brother-in-law Jon Brooks.
Pallbears include Mathew Hill, Joshua Hopp, Conway Wheat, John Paul Wheat, Chris Ward and Charles Hopp.
Flowers are welcome but memorial contributions can be made to Snook Brethren Church P.O. Box 247, Snook, Texas 77878 or to the Houston and Southeast ChapterAlzheimer’s Association, or Bluebonnet Hospice care.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Strickland Funeral Home. They invite you to visit their website at www.stricklandfuneralhomes. com and sign the online register book.