When Jane Alice Rickner Blount Wierenga, 91, died on April 18, 2026, our world suffered steep losses in its reserves of willpower, resiliency, intelligence, work ethic, leadership, love of the outdoors, emergency preparedness, and sharply observant commentary.

Born in Ottawa, Illinois on August 16, 1934, Jane was a natural leader in school and as a lifeguard and camp counselor. In nursing school in Chicago, she found her calling. Nurse Jane mastered some of the toughest challenges in health care: staffing the emergency room and the operating room; running a busy specialty medicine office; overseeing care at a senior living facility; and serving as medical director of a global food processor with an international workforce.

Nurse Jane always knew what to do in an emergency and never shied away from taking charge. Sickness, scrapes, sprains, and stitches were handled at home. Visiting Vermont, she commanded emergency care for a motorcyclist with a compound leg fracture while instructing her son on how to keep another victim from going into shock.

While in nursing school, Jane met Bradford Blount of Evanston. They married and began raising three children-Cindy, Brian, and Rick-in Wheaton. Following their divorce, Jane married David Wierenga and soon their children, Linda and Ron, made for a total of five siblings in their home in St. Charles.

The wildness and solitude of the west called to Dave and Jane. After annual visits to the family’s few acres of forest refuge in Colorado, they moved to southeastern Washington State-where they both worked at Richland’s Kadlec Hospital. They traveled widely-exploring the Cascades, Olympics, and Rockies; navigating the Columbia and Snake Rivers in their Carver cabin cruiser; and inching a low-slung Pontiac Safari station wagon over terrain most SUV drivers wouldn’t even attempt.

Jane loved a road trip. She singlehandedly drove three of her children from Illinois to their new home in Washington. She was the sole driver on another cross-country trip with her teen granddaughters.

Through her working years and into retirement, Jane took on leadership roles in, to name a few, the PTA, the Girl Scouts, the Tri-Cities Republican Women’s Club, and Senior Life Resources. In all her pursuits, Jane’s authority compelled action-and it brought her a rich social life.

Jane’s other calling was as Mom. Mom Jane raised her five children to be respectful, work hard for what you want, overcome life’s obstacles, and make your own way in the world.

Jane is survived by her children and their seven children: Cindy (Steve) Martin of St. Charles, IL (Cassi, Amber, Tom, Kevin); Brian (Barb) Blount of Yakima, WA (Laura, Jeffrey, Kevin); Rick (Andrea Grayson) Blount of Charlotte, VT; Linda Wierenga of West Richland, WA; and Ron (Amanda Keller) Wierenga of West Linn, OR. She is also survived by 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Ella Rickner; her beloved Uncle Ben Rickner; and her sister, Consuelo Stewart.

Jane’s family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Parkview Estates in Kennewick and Dr. Lissette Ramierez-Suero (Kadlec Senior Clinic) – all of whom lovingly cared for her with great compassion and helped navigate decisions that felt overwhelming.

A memorial service will follow in the summer.