Jane (Bryan) Pool

Friends and family lost their beloved Jane Bryan Pool, age 71, of Nassau Bay, Texas, in the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. She was born in Seminole, on July 18, 1938, to Tillman P. and Naomi Bryan. Jane graduated from Seminole High School, in 1956. She attended Columbia College, in Missouri, and received a degree in English from the University of Oklahoma. After graduation, Jane taught school in Denver, Colo., until her marriage to Dr. Sam Pool, on June 24, 1961. Jane taught junior high English, while Sam completed medical school and served as a flight surgeon in the United States Navy. In 1968, Sam was hired by NASA, Johnson Space Center, as a medical officer, and they moved with their two young daughters to Nassau Bay, Texas. During the girls’ childhood, the family enjoyed annual car trips, visiting most of the continental United States and Alaska. In 1980, Jane began teaching English at Clear Lake Intermediate School, and she remained there until her retirement, in 1999. Always an avid reader, Jane was a member of a local book club for many years. She was also an active member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and frequently hosted meetings of the local alumni chapter. In addition, Jane was a member of a very tight-knit group of high school friends, who remained close throughout the years and met annually in different cities around the country. Jane was devoted to her children and her four grandchildren. She spent countless hours playing with them and attending their sporting events and music recitals. She loved taking annual trips with them to various national parks and skiing in Angel Fire, New Mexico. She and Sam also traveled extensively, visiting England, France, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and Canada. She will be greatly missed. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Sam Pool; daughter, Keli Roper and her husband, Jeff Roper, and their two sons, Evan and Ryan; daughter, Elizabeth Stevens and her husband, Bill Stevens, and their two children, Bryan and Claire; her brother, Dickey Bryan and his wife Mary, of Seminole; niece, Kari Bryan, of Seminole; nephews, Jeremy Bryan and his wife Taressa Bryan, of Seminole and Eric Bryan and his wife DeeDee Bryan, of Seminole; great nieces, Kylie Rae Bryan and Brooklyn Elizabeth Bryan, both of Seminole; great nephew, Turner Allen Bryan, of Seminole; and cousin, Fred Gipson and his wife Linda Gipson, of Norman. She is preceded in death by her parents; and cousins, Patti Gummerson Gipson and Linda Sharpe Stone. There will be a memorial service for Jane at 11 a.m., at the Friendswood United Methodist Church, 110 North Friendswood Dr. (FM 518), on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, with Rev. Jim Bass officiating. Graveside services will be held at the Historic Strother Chapel, located in Maple Grove Cemetery, at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, in Seminole, with Rev. Jim Knowles officiating. Memorial contributions may be given to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Breast Cancer Research at P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486. Funeral Information: October 1, 2009, 3:30 PM Historic Strothers Chapel located at Strothers and Boren Blvd., Seminole, OK 74868