1946
2019
Roberts
JANE ELLEN ROBERTS
October 7, 1946
September 8, 2019
We honor Jane, a Colo. Springs-based artist, mother, wife, and friend. Though she was primarily a jeweler and potter, she inspired those who knew her with the curiosity and fearlessness she brought to any medium she tried. Art was in her soul and filled the home she shared with her husband, Keith. She connected deeply with animals, especially horses and her dogs. She is survived by husband Keith Roberts, her children Jill, Max, Melody, & Christine; and four grandchildren. You may honor her by donating to the Southern Poverty Law Center or Cheyenne Village. A celebration of life will be held Nov 17; contact [email protected] for info.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Here is the full length obituary:
Jane Ellen Roberts, 72, of Colorado Springs, CO died in the presence of her loved ones on September 8, 2019. Raised in Baltimore, MD with parents Jerome & Teresa Snyder, Jane earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie-Mellon University. There she met her first husband, Martin Shenker, with whom she had three children - Max, Jay, and Jill. In 1977, they moved to Colorado, where together they ran a professional photo lab, Colorado Color. In 1992, Jane married Keith Roberts, with whom she shared the rest of her life. She is also survived by her children, Jill & Max Shenker and Melody & Christine Roberts; and four grandchildren.
Always an artist, Jane worked as a professional potter in the late 60s and 70s, and in 1990 shifted her focus to silver jewelry making. In the 80s, she and daughter Jill started Jill's Jewels, a mother-daughter jewelry company that eventually became Jane's Jewels. Jane's jewelry featured in galleries across the country and received multiple awards.
Friends and family were inspired by the fearlessness, creativity, and curiosity she brought to any medium she tried, be it leatherwork, painting, wire sculpture, or collaborations with her husband Keith in the home and studio they shared. Jane described her approach to art this way: I can't not make art. For me, my hands are always busy, either working in my studio or knitting...Even cooking becomes an art form. Every day I get to do the things I love. I am so blessed to live my life as an artist. She will be remembered for all the beauty she brought into the world.
She contributed to her community and served on several boards: the Better Business Bureau, Commonwheel Artist Coop, the Business of Arts Center (now Manitou Arts Center), and Cheyenne Village, an organization dedicated to supporting adults with developmental disabilities.
Jane cared passionately for her many friends and family, bringing them together with home cooked food, mah jong, or artistic projects. Friends remember her as smart and generous, with a great sense of humor, and as creative, enthusiastic, and giant-hearted. She was known as a cheerleader for people's dreams and passions. She encouraged Keith to get the Harley he'd dreamed of, and rode right alongside him for years.
She had a deep love and respect for animals, especially her dogs and horses. She bought a horse, Jasmine, late in life -- something she had always wanted, and found joy and freedom while riding.
A celebration of Jane's life is planned for November 17. To honor her, please support her favorite causes: fighting hate and bigotry https://donate.splcenter.org/, mobilizing voters through an organization her daughter works with https://empoweredpolitics.org/, and supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities https://cheyennevillage.org/.
Jill Shenker
September 18, 2019
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