Jane Furche

Jane Furche passed away peacefully after a long series of compounding illnesses, two and half years after emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor in late 2012. Her body gave out but her will to live never did.

Jane was born and reared in Texas, living with her parents, Jack and Helen Bradford, in Rule, Haskell, Sweetwater and Midland. She attended high school at St. Joseph's Academy in Abilene and later attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth for two years before marrying James C. Armstrong on September 4, 1954, in Midland. Jane and James raised their three children (Brad, Liz and Tony, all of whom survive her) in Midland. They were divorced in 1975, remaining lifelong friends. James resides in Austin.

Jane married Louis Furche later in life and they lived together in Midland and Ruidoso until Louis's death. She was blessed with three grandchildren-Brandi, Tobiah and Adrien-who all shared with her a love of sports and an abiding passion for the mighty TCU Horned Frogs! Jane most likely wore some kind of TCU purple every day for the last twenty or thirty years-well, except for Sundays, when she switched into the blue and silver of what she thought of as her Dallas Cowboys.

Jane loved her kids, she loved her poodles, and she could often be found in her special seat at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack, watching the horses round the bend, yelling her pony on. She insisted until the end that, over a lifetime, she broke even on all her bets.

She never got any good at golf, but she loved to play and she loved to watch-she managed to follow the middle two rounds of the Masters just before she died. Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples were her two favorites.

After the removal of her brain tumor, no one expected Jane to live long. She was adamant about returning home. Jane got her wish, defied expectations, and recovered enough to enjoy two more years of life surrounded by family and friends. It was all gravy.

She will be sorely and sadly missed, though we are relieved that she will no longer suffer the indignities and pain of her failing body. In lieu of a funeral, Jane's life will be remembered and celebrated at a gathering later this spring. Godspeed and gig'em Frogs!