Jayne E. Lunsford

Jayne E. Lunsford was born February 27, 1919 in Youngstown, Ohio. She was the daughter of Frank and Edith Booth. Jayne was raised and attended school in Youngstown, graduating from high school in 1937.

Upon completion of her education, Jayne accepted employment with the Pugh Brothers Jewelry Store for a while. She later began working as an elevator operator in Youngstown where the offices of General Electric and Ohio Edison Power Company were located. She was then hired as a secretary for the Ohio Edison Power Company and later was promoted to the position of Executive Secretary for the President of the company.

Jayne and Tom met on a blind date just prior to Tom being sent overseas during World War II. After a courtship of several months, the couple wed on December 11, 1943 in Youngstown, Ohio. A month after the wedding, Tom was sent overseas. Jayne continued to work in Ohio, and never really knew where Tom was located due to the tight security during World War II. In 1945, Tom returned home to Oklahoma to be released from active duty and immediately went to Ohio to bring Jayne back to Cleveland in 1946.

Tom then went to work for his father in the First National Bank. The couple had two children, Tom Rucker Lunsford II and Susan Jayne Lunsford. Jayne was later appointed as a Director of the First National Bank and remained a director when the bank became the First Bank of Cleveland. She served over twenty years on the Board of Directors.

Jayne was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Cleveland. For many years she served in numerous capacities of the church including the communion and parsonage boards. She also served as a Sunday school teacher for several years.

For many years, Jayne hosted a Saturday night bridge club for her friends and also enjoyed playing bridge during the weekdays with her friends in Club 13. She especially enjoyed ballroom dancing and spent many hours teaching local teens during the early 1960's at teen town. She also loved to travel and the couple traveled together to many places around the world including Europe, Germany, Mexico, Hawaii and all around the United States.

Jayne passed away Monday, May 9, 2005 as a result of injuries received in an automobile accident near Cleveland at the age of eighty-six years, two months and twelve days. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Grace Pope; and a grand niece, Britney Pasqual.

Jayne is survived by her husband of sixty-one years, Tom R. Lunsford, of the home; son and his wife, Tommy and Carol Lunsford of Cleveland, Oklahoma; daughter, Susie Lunsford of Tulsa, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Lt Tom R. Lunsford, III of LeMoore, California, Alexis l. Lunsford of Las Vegas, Nevada and Jeffrey W. Lunsford of Orlando, Florida.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 pm, Saturday, May 14, 2005 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. George Boston officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

Visit and online obituary, guestbook and video tribute for Jayne E. Lunsford at www.chapman-black.com.