Jane Rosemary Saims, 96, of Portage, passed away peacefully at the VNA Hospice Center in Valparaiso on Friday, March 5, 2021.

Born at home in Crocker, IN, on January 10, 1925, Jane graduated from Gary's Froebel High School, where she met her husband of 62 years, Alexander Anthony Saims. Together they led a life rich in faith, and were one of the pioneer families to found Portage's Nativity of Our Savior Parish. While Alex served as a deacon, Jane zealously threw herself into a variety of philanthropic efforts, including helping to design and sew for the church a 3D ten foot by twenty foot banner depicting the apostles beholding Christ's Ascension. In 2009, Jane started the Prayer Shawl Ministry, a group of women that included her daughter Alisha. For ten years, they skillfully and tirelessly sewed thousands of blankets, shawls, quilts, and other soft items to be donated to church parishioners and a myriad of community members.

Jane loved extolling the wisdom she learned from her mother, Victoria, a native of Warsaw, Poland: You can't give it away without it coming back to you. Jane embodied charity and care, showering her many friends and relatives with homemade cookies and pies, handmade clothing and purses, and, later in life, from the back door of her home, tart concentrated cherry juice to relieve both insomnia and joint and muscle maladies.

Jane attributed her longevity to her early years as a dancer. She moved through life never knowing a stranger, freely handing out compliments, jokes, and advice to all who would listen. She loved children and never passed a baby without a smile and a coo. This vibrant social spirit served her well during her work for MA Wheat and Son, where she became employed in the 1970s and thrived for the next two decades as a saleswoman. She traveled throughout the United States and Canada commissioning schools and other organizations to fundraise by selling fresh grapefruits and oranges.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Victoria Konski, husband Alexander Saims, and siblings Salvester, Irene, John Junior, Helen, Stanley, and Robert Konski.

Jane is survived by the lights of her life, two daughters, Alisha (David) Sanders, Portage, and Laura (Larry) Evans, Valparaiso; and four sons, Bruce (Lisa) Saims, Monroe, NC, Thomas (Carolyn) Saims, Palisade, CO, Stuart (Susan) Saims, Houston, TX, and Paul (Tina) Saims, The Woodlands, TX.  Jane was also fiercely loved and admired by her 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, whose lives she touched with her signature spunk, tenacity, grit, and many-chambered heart.

To honor Jane, donations may be made to Nativity of Our Savior or to VNA Hospice.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Jane will be Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12 Noon at Nativity of Our Savior, 2949 Willowcreek, Portage, IN 46368, with Rev. Kevin McCarthy presiding.  Services will conclude at the church with cremation to follow.  Visitation will also be Saturday at Nativity from 10:00 until Noon.  If you wish to watch the Mass, please go to nativityofoursavior.org to find the Facebook link.  You may extend condolences at www.reesfuneralhomes.com or if you have questions, please call (219)762-3013.