Jane Moreland Branscomb Tribute

Jane Moreland Branscomb loved stories of others and had plenty of her own. The daughter of educational missionaries, she lived in Brazil until age 12 and then in Virginia where her father was president of Randolph-Macon Men’s College. At Randolph-Macon Women’s College (Randolph College), Jane studied art and drew portraits of fellow students for spending money. She later became an involved alumna.

Jane was devoted to her husband of 62 years, Dr. Ben Branscomb, and their four daughters. The couple moved to Birmingham in 1955, when Dr. Branscomb was recruited to the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and where he then established the Pulmonary Division. Jane has worked tirelessly to support medical education and medical faculty recruitment and has been a longstanding volunteer for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Quiet in her faith, Jane loved the Methodist Church, and she was an early supporter of the civil rights movement. She was keenly interested in her friends’ lives and sometimes knew their family histories better than they.

Jane enjoyed entertaining, painting, reading, and learning until the day she died. A voracious reader, she participated in literary groups including the 19th Century Club and the Married Ladies Reading Club. Jane looked for beauty everywhere, in nature and in others and reflected it through her life. She painted with the Village Painters for over 40 years. Her paintings hang in many homes and include portraits of several generations. Current works were on exhibit when she died. One of those paintings recently recently had been stolen from the show, which Jane had enjoyed this as “the height of flattery.” (If you are reading this, please return it!). Examples of works are at www.thevillagepainters.com.

Jane is survived by Dr. Ben Branscomb; daughter Dr. Louisa Branscomb and her daughter Olivia; daughter Melinda Branscomb; daughter Dr. Betsy Branscomb and husband Dr. George Joe and sons Henry and Winston Joe; daughter Janie Branscomb and husband Sam Collier and sons Christopher and Larson Collier; and sisters Fran Johns and Helen Cotton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jane Branscomb Fund at the Birmingham Museum of Art or to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

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