Obituary of Jane Nancy Golub
Jane Golub, 80, passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a short illness on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.
To many, Jane was an iconic business and philanthropic leader in the Capital Region, but to her loving family she was their soulmate, best friend, wife, mother and grandmother. She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Neil Golub; her daughter, Mona Golub (Marie DeBrocky); her grandson, Ira Golub; a brother, Barry Freeman (Tamara); and two nieces and a nephew.
Born in 1938 in New York, N.Y. as Jane Nancy Freeman to her father, Abram Albert Freeman of New York, N.Y., and her mother, Pauline Schwartz of Hartford, Conn., Jane attended the Bronx High School of Science and graduated from Forest Hills High School. Jane’s higher education included a B.A. degree in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and an M.S. degree in Elementary Education from the State University of New York at Oneonta.
Jane taught at Hillside Elementary School in the Niskayuna Central School District from its opening day in 1963 until 1986, when Neil asked her to take a sabbatical to help him bring the Anti-Defamation League’s prejudice awareness and reduction program, “A World of Difference,” to schools in the Capital Region. With her signature zeal, she coordinated a team of teachers to develop the curriculum and then trained hundreds of others to help spread it statewide, insisting that it start in elementary schools, where she believed the seeds of bigotry and hate take root. This led to a 35-year partnership with ADL and A World of Difference that continues today, through the support of Jane and Neil.
Thereafter, Jane found another career with Price Chopper/Market 32, managing the company’s in-house sampling program and, most recently, its in-store marketing programs. Jane continued to work until she became ill earlier this month.
The love story that she and Neil lived continued until her passing. Married on June 2, 1963, the couple rarely spent any time apart. They enjoyed working and traveling together, playing golf, spending time with family and friends, and shared a particular passion for Tikkun Olam, making the world a better place.
With her signature wit and good humor, Jane had a way of making the world better simply by being a part of it, but she did so much more. When she got involved in a cause that was important to her, it wasn’t just with a donation of financial resources; she’d rally friends and family and give of her time, energy, enthusiasm, and skills with a full heart.
Jane’s 45-year commitment to the Jewish National Fund, in whose name she helped fellow congregants at Gates of Heaven in Schenectady dedicate trees in the Negev desert to honor lifecycle occasions, is memorialized by a forest in Israel that bears her name. She and Neil have also been stalwart supporters of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York.
Jane was a champion of causes dedicated to improving the health and lives of women and children in the Capital Region. She had a special affinity for the Schenectady Day Nursery, Girls Inc., Ellis’ Women’s Night Out and A Better U (through the American Heart Association), among many others. She dedicated herself to improving women’s breast and heart health in Schenectady through her tireless support of and commitment to Ellis Medicine and its Bellevue Woman’s Center.
She co-chaired the Ellis Medicine capital campaign and with Neil dedicated its Women’s Breast Care and Heart Health Center and Emergency Department. They underwrote Ellis’ annual Women’s Night Out, which established the “Janey” award in her honor, presented annually to an outstanding doctor in the field of women’s health. She was also a great advocate for and supporter of the American Heart Association and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Though Jane preferred to call herself a breast cancer “veteran,” as opposed to survivor, the fellowship and strength of support shared by the Passion and Purpose group of survivors to which she belonged was very special to her.
Jane’s commitment to her adopted hometown of Schenectady was legendary. She served on innumerable boards, committees and capital campaigns for scores of organizations and helped to move them forward. Re-envisioning and recreating miSci into a powerhouse regional science center combined her love for Schenectady with the importance she placed on education and providing the community’s children with more and better resources. She spent decades on the board of Schenectady Day Nursery, working to sustain the historic organization and the important role that it plays for children and parents.
Despite all the hours that Jane spent supporting our community, she always made time to share meaningful moments and occasions with her family. Whether celebrating her daughter’s dedication to the arts, being the loudest cheerleader at her grandson’s basketball games or sharing a simple Sunday night dinner together, Jane’s love was reflected in the pursuits of her family.
It is said that the ones who love us never really leave us and Jane’s legacy will last for generations. And though our hearts are broken and we will miss her presence terribly, we are comforted in the knowledge that Jane Golub made a difference in her life and in ours.
Donations in Jane’s honor may be made to the ADL’s A World of Difference, miSci, the Schenectady Day Nursery, St. Jude's Childrens Hospital or Ellis Medicine Foundation.
A public service will be held at Congregation Gates of Heaven, 852 Ashmore Ave. in Schenectady, on Tuesday, April 23 at 10:30 a.m. Shiva will be observed on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Gates of Heaven and on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at 1021 Rosendale Rd. in Niskayuna.
