Elizabeth "Jane" Began

Elizabeth Jane Began, known as Jane, died peacefully on April 5 in Falls Church, Virginia, at age 73.  Born in Owosso, Michigan, Jane was the daughter of Margaret (Siess) and Vincent Began.  She graduated from Saint Paul School in Owosso and earned her degree in Secondary Education and Communication in Arts and Sciences from Western Michigan University. Jane chose a path in the television industry beginning at WUHQ (Channel 41) in Battle Creek, Michigan, where she worked her way up from studio engineer to producer and director.   

From there she moved to WKBS in Philadelphia as a production manager.  She also worked as executive producer of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball telecasts and served as a board member of the local chapter of American Women in Radio and Television. Early in the 1980s, Jane took a position in Hollywood with Chris Craft Video before moving on to NBC, as a Unit Manager for daytime dramas, prime time series, game shows and Rose Bowl broadcasts.  NBC’s coverage of the Olympics took her to Seoul, Sydney, Atlanta and Salt Lake City.  Her stories from these exciting times would have made a good book.

Jane moved to Baltimore in 1989 as Director of Production for the National and International Production Division with Maryland Public Television. She treasured a Russian Navy sailors cap that she was given during a party on a Russian ship at Cannes during her time at MPT, eventually using it as part of a Halloween costume. Another highlight while at MPT was getting to tramp through the water at Chincoteague with the Kratts brothers who originated Kratts’ Creatures for PBS.

Jane moved to Northern Virginia and spent the remainder of her career at the headquarters of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in Arlington, Virginia, where she held a variety of positions, including Revenue Assurance Manager.  Her experience in television production was invaluable when reviewing contracts for PBS shows. She had a group there that she called “The martini ladies” that she would get together with about once a month.

Aside from her formidable professional achievements, it will be Jane the wonderful person that we will all remember the most. There are so many stories about her. After retiring from PBS in 2016, she pursued her interests in depth with passion, which included travel, photography, birding, cooking, gardening, hiking and sharing time with family and beloved friends who lived all over the world. Her travel highlights included European forays with her loving partner Kathy, as well as trips to Cuba where, guided by photos from a family album, she followed in the footsteps of her mother’s earlier trip, which had long filled her imagination. One of her favorite vacations was spent with four close friends on a small barge on the Canal du Midi in Southern France.

Jane was passionate about animals, especially her feline and canine companions, and spoke to them in the kookiest of ways.  She had a very special place in her heart for horses and channeled her love of them by volunteering for fifteen years at “Lift Me Up”, an equine-assisted therapy center in Great Falls, Virginia. She communed with the riders as a side-walker and with the horses while grooming them.  She spent countless Saturday mornings helping children and teens, with various challenges, experience the joy of riding. She even had a “pet frog” in the backyard that she would feed and check on every day.

An avid cook, Jane could whip up a feast in any kind of kitchen, including the galley of a sailboat being tossed about by the waves or the barge in the South of France. She dreamed of being a cook on a tugboat, and on her 60 th birthday tour of a tugboat in Portland, Oregon, was dismayed that the crew now cooked for themselves. She was also talented behind a bar and just as comfortable in front of one, too. A wonderful memory for her was dining at a table with one of her heroes, Julia Child, in New Orleans, while there for a conference. 

Debbie, a fellow essay writing buddy in Cornwall, UK had this to say about Jane, “Jane was one of my beloved “Essay Club posse”, who shared so many writings about her incredible life with a legendary dry sense of humour that was so unmistakably Jane. She went on to chum me on a life changing road trip driving across 12 states in America – despite only months earlier being diagnosed with a brain tumour. No one else could have gotten away with her black humour tumour jokes. Yet she did. She never let the truth stop anything. And I loved her for it.”

Maureen, a close cousin wrote,” She was such an individual. Independent, headstrong, reserved, but with a quick wit. She was hilarious. I loved making her laugh- it felt huge to have someone so funny think that I was too.”

Al, a wonderful ally wrote,” I travelled enough with Jane and her friends to have learned that she would be either the adult in the room, or maybe the child, but always the one I would turn to if I needed something complicated explained in a word or two. A calm woman in a storm, a good friend through thick and thin, a gal who in being the best metaphorical backup singer imaginable made each day better.”

Franny, a co-adventurer wrote,” I will cherish our early morning kayak rides, dear Jane. Your love of kite flying created other delightful memories! That beautiful, soft voice and delightful laugh will always be within my reach. Thank you dear one for 30 years of friendship. Thank you, Kathy for driving to the lake last summer for more wonderful memories.”

Jane leaves behind her longtime and devoted partner, Kathleen Conklin, of Falls Church, VA; brother Bill Began (Margaret) of Owosso, MI; sisters Mary Kerscher (Bill) of Grand Blanc, MI and Madelyn Ryan (Bill) of Traverse City, MI.  She also leaves nephews Brian and Patrick (Liz) Began and Paul (Pascale), Kevin (Molly) and Timothy Ryan as well as five great nieces and nephews. A 

celebration of Jane’s life will take place at a later date.  Donations in her memory would be welcomed at Lift Me Up (https://liftmeup.org/) or The National Brain Tumor Society (https://braintumor.org/).