Jane Young Freeland

Jane Elizabeth Young Freeland was born in Athens, Georgia on July 25, 1925, to Hattie and Deaver Preston Young.  She was named after her grandmother, Janie Badger Harris, around whom her close-knit family of aunts, uncles and cousins gravitated.  Something of a child prodigy, Jane graduated from high school when she was only 13 and left Athens to attend Wilberforce University, the nation's oldest private, historically black university.  While at Wilberforce, Jane joined the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.  In 1943, she graduated at age 17 with a Bachelor of Science degree in commerce.

Two years later, she moved to Baltimore, Maryland and went to work for the Afro American newspaper.  It was in Baltimore in 1945 that she met the love of her life, Wendell Grimkie Freeland, who she married on Christmas Eve in 1946.  Jane and Wendell shared 67 years of marriage before Wendell passed away in 2014.

Following Wendell's graduation from law school, he and Jane moved to Pittsburgh.  Several years later they adopted their first child, Michael.  More than a decade later, their daughter, Lisa was born.

Jane's experience with adoption led her to dedicate her time and energy to helping other Black children who were orphaned.  She became involved in the leadership and formation of what is now  Three Rivers Youth.

Jane was a long-time employee of the Mike Feinberg Company, working as its controller for 50 years.  She served as the corporation's secretary/treasurer and helped it grow into a strio legend.

Jane loved to swim, play bridge and spend time gardening and grilling.  She always had a song in her head and, until her last days, remained a human calculator.

Along with her devoted children, Michael and Lisa, Jane leaves behind two beloved grandchildren, Kristen and Michael; a great-grandson, Michael; and a host of others whose lives she touched - specially among them, her sisters in the Circle-Lets.