Obituary of Jane (Russell) Nile

ILION – Earth’s loss became heaven’s gain on September 5, 2020, when Jane Russell Nile, 88, of Santa Cruz, California, went to be with the Lord! Jane was born on June 22,1932, in Ilion, New York, to Benjamin and Leila Russell. She was predeceased by her younger siblings, Peggy Daly Williamson and Benjamin A. Russell. Jane married her high school sweetheart, Samuel Herbert Nile, of Ilion, on May 16,1953. While raising three daughters, in 1967, she enrolled at Mohawk Valley Community College to study nursing and later graduated from Syracuse University, in 1976, with an M.S.N. degree. As a nurse, Jane worked at Mohawk Valley Hospital, co-founded Ilion’s first nursing home, and taught nursing at Hartwick College, in Oneonta, New York. With her optimistic and vibrant personality, developmental fundraising was the next frontier. Jane began fundraising, at Hartwick, and later became Director of Development at Rochester Medical Center. She then transitioned to Albany Law School, where she raised over $11 million to build the new Albany Law School Library. Jane relocated to Santa Cruz, California, in 1991, to be near her three daughters and their families. There, she worked as a nurse case manager for several years, finally retiring at age 75. The love she had for life was only surpassed by her devotion to God and family. Jane wrote personalized songs for her grandchildren and sang each one to them the day they were born. She was very proud of her Welsh heritage, and loved to recite Welsh poems, sayings, and songs. Jane was a natural piano player and singer and shared it by teaching her children and grandchildren to make music. Tennis, bridge, travel and photography were among her many passions. She had a gift for making people feel special and loved, keeping in close contact with her friends and family all her life. Jane is survived by her children: Lynn M. Nile, MD (Gregory Linkowski, MD), Peggy N. Albrecht, MD (John) and Jane N. Keller (Michael); her grandchildren, who knew her as “Shannie,” include Kara Nile Douglas (Andrew), David Gregory Linkowski (deceased in Oct., 2002), G. Samuel Linkowski, Benjamin Nile Albrecht, Jacob Russell Albrecht, and Katherine Jane Keller; Great-grandchildren include Andrew and Ella Douglas. There are also numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved. A celebration of life is currently unplanned until safer travels. Donations and contributions will be joyfully accepted to a charity of your choice. John 14:6. Arrangements in Ilion have been entrusted to the Enea & Ciaccia Family Funeral Home, at 4309 Acme Road, Ilion, New York, Funeral Directors, Harry J. Enea, Jr., Kevin E. Enea and Martin L. Ciaccia (315) 894-8000. An online memorial page has been established at www.eneafamily.com on the Internet.