Jane A. Schaftenaar Menzer Walton, 86, passed peacefully on May 13, 2026, in Wisconsin, concluding a long and courageous journey with dementia. Born on April 20,1940, in Holland, Michigan, she was the beloved daughter of Dr. Richard and Julia Schaftenaar.
A graduate of Holland High School who later attended Hope College. Jane lived in Sheboygan for 30 years, where she became actively involved in the community and devoted herself to countless service projects. During that time, she formed many lasting friendships that meant so much to her and came to cherish the strong sense of community she found there. Jane’s life was defined by intellectual curiosity, compassion, grace, and an unwavering devotion to her family. She devoted many years to creating a home filled with warmth, laughter, and unconditional love while raising her five children.
Later in life, Jane moved to Phoenix, AZ to return to her studies and earned a degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University, reflecting both her perseverance and her lifelong commitment to learning. Literature was among Jane’s greatest passions. Her mother often remarked that she seemed to have been born with a book in her hand. At the age of 50, Jane transformed her lifelong love of storytelling into a meaningful vocation when she began a journalism career at Phoenix Children’s Hospital as a Media Relations Specialist. Over the next 25 years, she dedicated herself to sharing stories that brought comfort, dignity, and hope to families facing life’s most difficult moments. Her remarkable ability to uncover the humanity within every story, coupled with her deep compassion and gift for writing, affectionately earned her the nickname “Front Page Jane.”
Jane possessed a rare gentleness that drew people naturally to her. Her faith anchored her life and quietly strengthened all who knew her. She carried herself with humility and elegance, extending kindness freely and listening with sincere compassion. Her laughter brightened heavy moments, and her radiant smile had a way of making others feel immediately at ease. Above all, Jane had an extraordinary gift for making people feel seen, valued, and deeply loved.
Her legacy of kindness, resilience, intellect, and unconditional love will continue to live on through her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all whose lives were enriched by her presence. To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was lovingly known as “Mema.”
She is lovingly survived by her siblings, Margie Knapp, Dick (Linda) Schaftenaar, and Becky (Rick) VanEenenam; her children, Jamie (Fred) Zimmerman, Tami (Mike) Petrocelli, Julie (Tom) DuVal, Jim Menzer, and Maggie (Joseph) Estrada; as well as her treasured grandchildren, Michael (Sara Jelenffy) Petrocelli, Juliana (John) Woetko, Emma (Brandon) Jones, Samantha (Damian Velez) Zimmerman, Rebecca (Andrew) Schmid, Max (Deanna Morreale) Zimmerman, Tommy (Jasmine) DuVal, Jimmy (Morgan) DuVal; and great-grandchildren, Jack and Henry Schmid, Jacob and Ava Woetko, Julian Jones, and many loving nieces and nephews.
Those wishing to honor Jane’s memory in a special way are invited to make gifts in her name to Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by a service of remembrance at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home in Holland Michigan
Comments