Jannie Leeolla Brady-Mitchell, 82, went to her final rest Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. Jannie was born May 17, 1931, in West Plains, Mo., to parents Jessie Lorene Lewis and Raymond Long.
Jane was preceded in death by her first husband, Harold K. Brady; two sons, Michael and Terrance; second husband, Welby Mitchell; two sisters, Kay and Jessie; and brother, Leon. Survivors: sons, Patrick (Laurie) Brady and Lawerence (Rebecca) Brady, and brother, Charles Arnold and wife Judy, all of Salina; grandchildren, Susan (Mike) Eberwein, Leslie (Jacob) Mullen, Mathew Brady and Jason (Angel) Brady, all of Salina; great-grandchildren, Adam Eberwein, Kristen Eberwein, Brayden Mullen and Lillian Brady; stepgrandchildren, Rhonda Moye and Donald (Don) Vawter; stepgreat-grandchildren, Ian, Mariah, Netta and Ella; and stepgreat-great-grandchildren, Jt, Easton, Mazeyah and Zamiyah.
Jane grew up in a dirt-floor house in the backwoods of Missouri. She moved to Salina with her family, where she worked at Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard operator. During that time, she met and married Harold K. Brady. They moved to southern California and had four boys. Jane and Harold returned to Salina in the early ’60s to raise their family. She saw to it that her family grew up with more than she did. She took in others when she could barely take care of her own but always found a way to make it work. Jane waited on tables at several diners in Salina for years. She later took a job at Beech Aircraft, from where she retired in 1993 after more than 25 years of service.
Jane moved to Wilsey in the late ’90s, where she met and married Welby Mitchell. They later moved to Salina to be closer to family.
After many years of enjoying hobbies such as sewing, gardening, cooking, painting and many other crafts, Jane progressively lost her eyesight to macular degeneration. She was still determined to remain at her home and stayed active working in her yard and enjoying her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
For all that she could no longer do and frequently needing our help, she continued to show us to never give up, it’s not as bad as it can be, and there is always a way. As a mother of four boys, she had her own unique way of coming quickly to the point and keeping order. She was challenged at least once by each of her boys, never to be challenged ever again. Either by personal conversation or a loving hand, you were put back on the straight and narrow. Jane carried the medallion of Michael the Archangel with her wherever she went.
She will be dearly missed by us all.
Services will be announced at a later date. Ryan Mortuary, Salina, is handling arrangements.