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In Memoriam / Tributes
FNU Mourns the Passing of Alumna Jan Dobbins Thomas, CNM
Jan Dobbins Thomas, CNM, took her first breath on October 16, 1950, in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a daughter of the late George Dobbins and the late Elizabeth (Impiccini) Dobbins-JakubikKimtantas. She took her last breath on March 26, 2020, surrounded by her loving family.
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Jan was a loving, caring person who was quick-witted and made any situation fun. She loved her family, career, God, and country. At an early age, she knew she wanted to become a nurse and deliver babies. She graduated from the Beth Center High School in 1968, the Uniontown School of Nursing in 1971, WVU in 1995, The Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing (later called the Frontier Nursing University) in 1998. She was extremely proud of becoming a midwife, and throughout her career, she helped deliver over 1,600 babies. Jan said, “I held each of those mothers and babies in my heart.”
- Jan Dobbins Thomas, CNM
Jan is survived by her loving husband and best friend of 46 years, Richard “Dick” Thomas; twin daughters, Erin Thomas of Morgantown and Terese Cooley and husband Dan of Hawaii; three grandsons, Ty Cooley, Gavin Cooley, and Nicholas “Nick” Utter; three sisters, Debbie Duncan and husband Steve of Newtown, PA, Vellamarie “Pudge” Devecka of Clarksville, PA, and Denise Pohill and husband Ken of Kearneysville, WV and many nieces, nephews and very special friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, John Jakubik, and a niece, Amanda Jakubik. Memorial Donations The following people gave contributions to Frontier in memory of their friends or loved ones. The names in bold are the deceased.
Benny Ann Blessing Bray Mr. Howard Bray
Jane H. Hope Ms. Jane Tyrrell
Molly Lee Estate Molly Lee, former Faculty and Dean of the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery, passed on July 14, 2019. We paid tribute to her incredible contributions to Frontier in the Summer 2019 issue of the Quarterly Bulletin. Her contributions continue even today, as Molly’s will directed that her bequest be used “to provide a scholarship to a deserving student who is a graduate missionary.” FNU anticipates awarding the scholarship in 2021.
