Jane G. Klosner

Boonville - Jane Galbraith Klosner, 81, of James Street, affectionately known as "Janey", passed away on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at Sunset Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Boonville where she had resided since March of this year. She was born in Fort Plain, NY on September 3, 1927 to Lynden and Fanny E. (Marcy) Galbraith. Jane moved to Boonville from Remsen at the age of twelve, and graduated from Boonville High School with the Class of 1944. She spent a year living in California while working for the May Company. On October 13, 1945, Jane was united in marriage with H. Bruce Klosner at St. Joseph's Church in Boonville. In 1950 the couple moved to their present home on James Street. Mr. Klosner, a veteran of WWII and a well-known building contractor, died on September, 21, 1984. Mrs. Klosner was employed at Rome Manufacturing Company and then for many years at Hills Department Store of Boonville where she was the clothing purchasing agent. For many years Janey was known as "Boonville's Lucille Ball." She brought joy and laughter to thousands of people throughout central and northern New York through her musical and acting talents. She had leading roles in plays such as "Born Yesterday" and "The Tender Trap" at the Lyons Falls Community Theater. She also played lead roles in Broadway musicals at the Rome Community Theater, including "Kiss Me, Kate" and "Hello, Dolly", where she starred as Miss Dolly Levi Gallagher. Janey enjoyed participating in minstrel shows for the Free Masons and teaching baton twirling to hundreds of children throughout the Mohawk Valley and the North Country. In February 2001 Janey was predeceased by her very close lifetime friend and co-performer, Mrs. Mary Ann Kelpy. For many years the duo entertained Boonville and the North Country with Janey's remarkable vocal talent and Mary Ann's unforgettable talent at the piano. They began the tradition of providing musical and comical entertainment on Thursday morning at Sunset Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She marched and twirled with the Boonville Community Bank and was inducted into the Baton Twirlers Hall of Fame. For several years she operated her own antique and gift shop known as the Adirondack Mountain Shop in Woodgate. Her other hobbies included gardening, arts and crafts. Jane was a member of the Red Hatters Society and a charter member and past president of Harland J. Hennessey Post VFW in Boonville. Survivors include a daughter, Kathleen Klosner, and her partner, Joyce Brindisi, with whom Jane resided before entering Sunset; three nieces, Joann Hall and her husband, Ron, of Whitesboro, Diana Johnston of Plattsburg, and Hedy Kay Morris and her husband, David, of Amsterdam; five nephews, Bruce Phelps and his wife, Theresa, and Dick Phelps and his wife, Cheryl, all of Remsen, Jim Capron and his wife, Ann, of Old Forge, Jack Capron and his wife, Nancy, of Skaneateles, and Tom Teelin and his wife, Maureen, of Fayetteville, NY. Additional survivors include her many friends in the Boonville area. She was predeceased by two special grandnephews, James Johnston, who during his later high school years resided with Jane and Bruce, and Clark Capron. The last of five siblings, she was also predeceased by two brothers, Wilson and Lincoln B. Galbraith, and by two sisters, Lynda Franklin and Betty Richards. Her family extends a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the B and C Wings of Sunset Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the tender loving care rendered to Janey. Her funeral will be Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Trainor Funeral Home, Inc., 143 Schuyler Street in Boonville. Visitation is Sunday 5-8 p.m. Interment will be at the convenience of the family in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Boonville. Memorial contributions may be made to Upstate Cerebral Palsy, 1020 Mary Street, Utica, NY 13501 or to Sunset Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Resident Activities Fund, 232 Academy Street, Boonville, NY 13309.