Jane Andrea Benedum

Jane Andrea Benedum (née Housley) was born on July 31, 1945, in Olney, Illinois, to Wanda and Adrian (Buck) Housley. Her mother was a homemaker (and fabulous pie maker) and her father worked for Pure Oil Company/ Union 76 Oil Company. Along with her older sister, Jill, and younger brother, Jim, Jane spent her childhood in an “oil camp” in Clay City, Illinois. Jane fondly recalled her time in the camp: biking past all the camp homes; roaming around with the camp kids; Saturday afternoon cowboy movies in Clay City (the Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers movies were particular favorites); and, a typical part of living in southern Illinois, sitting with all the families in the communal underground tornado shelter.

In 1960, Buck’s new job took the family to Nowata, Oklahoma. Having visited Oklahoma many times, since her grandparents lived in Hominy, Jane quickly settled in and made a close group of lifelong friends. After graduating from Nowata High School in 1963, Jane had plans to attend the University of Oklahoma; however, right before college began, her father received a job transfer to Michigan. Since her parents did not think it appropriate for a daughter to live so far away, Jane gave up her place at OU and accompanied her family to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

In Michigan, Jane met and married Al Quick. Not long after the wedding, the couple moved to Detroit, where Al attended law school and Jane worked as an administrative assistant in the President’s Office of Wayne State University. Jane lived in Detroit during volatile times. For instance, she was one of a handful of people driving on the highway when national guard tanks moved in during the 1967 race riots. She also was one of the only people from the President’s Office to interact with students conducting sit-ins protesting the Vietnam War. Growing up in small towns, Jane was not accustomed to such events; but she approached them with an open mind, a desire to learn, and an ability to talk easily with anybody.

After Al finished his degree, the young couple moved to Marshall, Michigan, where they had a daughter, Traci. Later, they moved to Farmington, Maine, where a second daughter, Becki, was born. Unfortunately, while living in Maine, the marriage broke down and Jane and Al divorced.

In 1972, Jane arrived in Norman, Oklahoma toting her two young daughters and a few sticks of furniture. She chose Norman, in part, because her close cousin, Judy Ellis, lived there. As a single mother in a new community, Jane immediately set out to find a job. And she found one working at a methadone clinic, which, in the 1970s, provided a new type of treatment for drug addiction. Her experiences at the clinic sparked her interest in social work, which she later committed to as a profession.

Not long after arriving in Norman, Jane’s cousin introduced her to local attorney, Ben Benedum. The two hit it off and, on February 14, 1975, Jane and Ben married. The new family was a blended one, bringing together two sets of children from prior marriages: Jane’s two and Ben’s three. Although the family dynamics were not always easy, the marriage was a wonderful one and endured until Jane’s death.

While Jane was managing this household of seven, she took the opportunity to earn the college degree she had given up years before. Jane applied and was accepted to the University of Oklahoma’s School of Social Work. Juggling family and school was not easy. She would often wake up at 4:00 A.M. to study and complete assignments before all the kids got up. She would also prepare dinners in the mornings, so she could easily make a family meal after a long day of classes. After much hard work, she graduated with a Master of Social Work in 1984.

During the ensuing years, Jane put her degree to use with Sunbeam Family Services, the State of Oklahoma’s Youth Center, and Norman Regional Hospital. She was especially gifted with at-risk youth. She found a way to connect with them and get them to open-up. She later started a private practice, in which she helped numerous clients with their family and personal problems. She also worked on several adoption cases as a court-appointed social worker. These were always happy and fulfilling assignments for her.

After many years of work, she retired to be closer to her family. Jane and Ben used this time to travel extensively together. Jane was always curious to learn and experience a different part of the world. Her favorite country to visit was the UK. And one of her favorite ways to experience the country was on walking trips. She loved seeing the countryside, small villages, and meeting people on the walk or in the towns. Jane was a great people-person who could connect with almost anyone. In addition to traveling, she loved to read and discuss books in her multiple book clubs, take non-credit classes at OU, work in her yard, practice Pilates, volunteer for numerous organizations, participate in PEO, and be with friends. She was also active in her church, St. John’s Episcopal, attending every Sunday service with Ben and participating in Altar Guild.

Jane always took much joy in her family. In later years, she particularly delighted in spending time with her youngest granddaughter, Eleanor. Each week, Jane picked up Eleanor from her elementary school, and the two would play games and watch cartoons. Jane attended countless dance recitals, soccer games, and school activities on Eleanor’s behalf. She constantly emphasized to Eleanor the importance of kindness and giving to others. Jane was always an advocate for a more generous, fair, and caring world. She truly cared about the well-being of others (including animals!).

In 2019, Jane was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma, an incurable brain tumor. She suffered the illness with dignity, grace, and a sense of humor until her death on April 13, 2022, in Norman. She was an intelligent, warm, and curious spirit who will be forever missed by her family and friends.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents; numerous uncles and aunts, and her sister, Jill Housley.
She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Ben; daughters, Traci Quick and husband Todd Fagin, Becki Quick and husband Manuel Otero; grandchildren, Eleanor Fagin, Katie Saski, Patrick Hart; brother, Jim Housley and wife Patti; niece, Meghan Cruzen; great nieces, Emerie, Maeve; great nephew, Griffin; cousin, Judy Ellis; and a host of other family and friends.

A private memorial service on May 20, 2022, will be followed by a Celebration of Life, open to all who knew Jane, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm at Legends Times Two, 1333 West Lindsey, Norman, OK. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Norman Animal Welfare, Stephenson Cancer Center, or the Center for Children and Families, Inc. in Norman.