Bryn Athyn College Alumni Magazine Spring/Summer 2018 | Page 34

running header
Jane with a group of faculty, students, alumni, and friends on a service day in 2009. Back row, from left:
Jane Williams-Hogan (AA ’62), Amanda Rogers, Nastasya Vanderstichel, Lindsay Kloc, Maya Finkeldey,
Jacqueline Acton (BA ’14), Bronwyn Gunther (AA ’12), and Brian Henderson (AA ’89). Front, from left:
Erika Pitcairn (BS ’13), Kat Gatti (BA ’13), Kristen Maxwell, Paige Gunther Austin, and Janet Simons.
Devin Zuber, Ph.D. (BA ’00),
now a well-traveled Swedenborgian
scholar wrote, “Jane was a dear men-
tor and friend to so many, including
myself. Without her love and pas-
sion for studying Swedenborg (and
Sweden), I would not be where I am
today, doing what I do. Like others
whose lives she touched and trans-
formed, I owe to her wisdom and
generous insight so very much.”
Another former student, Ken-
dra Knight (BA ’09), wrote, “Jane
was one of a handful of professors
at Bryn Athyn College who served
as essential mentors and role mod-
els urging me to work hard and
think deeply. Never content with
general summaries of any topic,
Jane pushed her students to read,
think, and write more.” Kendra
added, “I had the privilege of being
her research assistant for her paper
in the Last Judgment conference
in 2007 (A New Refrain: The Child
and ‘Songs of Innocence’). The
hardest part of this job was trying
to find resources related to William
Blake and/or children’s lives in the
mid-18 century that Jane had not
read, because she had read almost
everything. I loved the challenge,
though, and Jane’s excitement
34 | S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 8
when I found something new made
it all worth it.... I greatly respect
her academic abilities as well as her
passion for seeing people pursue
their dreams. Thank you, Jane.”
In addition to her brilliant
mind, Jane had a generous heart
and truly cared about her students.
For example, one student, Pia Dan-
ton who came from France to at-
tend Bryn Athyn College, told of
a time that Jane gave her a candle
and a wooden key, as a reminder
that Bryn Athyn would always be
her home. Pia said, “I still have
those items in my room, and they
warm my heart whenever I feel nos-
talgic.”
Another former student, Dan-
ny Triesler (BA’14) said, “Jane was
and will always be such a bright
light in my life for so many reasons.
... She was so curious in the best of
ways, making you feel loved at ev-
ery turn and asking questions that
always benefitted how you looked
at who you were. I would get mes-
sages from her almost weekly just
so she could hear about my day and
how I was feeling, and she did so
with relentless motivation through
some of the hardest experiences of
my life. Her love and ability to love
is something I personally strive to
achieve by showing those around
me that same level as she delivered
every day to so many people.”
Danny told of a situation
where he met up with Jane in Swe-
den, where Danny was playing
professional hockey. They met at
a Swedenborgian church in down-
town Stockholm, and after talking
and laughing for about two hours,
Jane’s warm presence reminded
Danny “what the church and my
spiritual college education meant
to me.”
Upon her departure, Jane gave
Danny a small cast-iron angel as
a token of affection and to offer
comfort for hard times. She told
Danny, “I love you so much, and I
am so proud of you.” Danny said,
“Thinking back on that moment, I
am overjoyed that I had Jane in my
life. She will forever be in my heart
as she has given me so much to
share with this world.”
A former-student-turned-fel-
low-professor, Fredrik Bryntesson,
Ph.D. (BA ’96), remarked on this
characteristic as well. He said, “At
the College, Jane always had time
for her students and was genuinely
interested in them and their well-
being, frequently taking them to
various events or out for coffee or
food. She showed her support by
attending College events that in-
volved students and faculty and
showed genuine interest and ap-
preciation of the participants’ ef-
forts at these occasions. She was an
incredible mentor for her students
and as a colleague was absolutely
wonderful and supportive to work
with.”
Jane’s close friend Suzy Laid-
law (BA ’90) said, “Jane was a pas-
sionate woman who cared deeply
about so many things—about her
family, about the Lord, and about
the College and its future. She re-