Jane Jones, a Special Education teacher at Byron Middle School in Rockford, Illinois, succumbed to Covid-19 on December 14, 2021. She was just 44 years old. Photo credit: Rockford Register Star
Sadly, we report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Jane Jones, a junior high school teacher from Illinois, succumbed to the disease, complicated by the onset of pneumonia, on December 14, 2021. She was just 44 years old.
Jane was a Special Education teacher at Byron Middle School in Rockford, Illinois. The beloved educator will be sorely missed. “Our entire school community is grieving the loss of a wonderful educator and amazing person,” commented Superintendent Buster Barton.
The fallen educator was born September 18, 1977, in Moline, Illinois. She grew up in Orion, Illinois, where she played volleyball, basketball, track, and excelled in art class. After her graduation from high school, Jane attended the University of Illinois, majoring in Education, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2000, graduating first in her class. While there, she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. At the time of her passing, Jane was just one class short of completing her Master’s degree.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree, Jane accepted her first teaching position as a middle school science educator at Sarah Bank School in Walled Lake, Michigan. After a stint in DeePere, Wisconsin, Jane and her husband Ryan moved with their three children to Byron, Illinois. There Jane began substitute teaching, and later she accepted a full-time position as a Special Education teacher at Byron Middle School.
According to her obituary, Jane loved her students like her own. Her passion for each student was evident in the countless hours she spent in the classroom. Even through her hardest days this past year, her students were always on her mind. “She made sure to know the little things about someone,” remembered friend Victoria Kuzlik. “She was one of the nicest people you would ever meet.”
A scholarship fund will be established in Jane’s name at Byron High School.
