Beverly Jane Doolan

Beverly Jane “Janie” Doolan, a homemaker who raised three children with her husband, then went on to teach a popular workout class for seniors, died Sunday, June 10, 2012 at Big Bend Hospice surrounded by family. She was 73. Janie Burke was born November 19, 1938 in Westernport, Maryland, and enjoyed growing up in the mountains with her four siblings. Raised by her mother, Lillian, and stepfather John Miller, Janie graduated from Bruce High School in 1956. In 1958, Janie married Francis Aloysius “Pickles” Doolan III from the neighboring town of Lonaconing, Maryland. He had just returned from serving in the Marine Corps. They lived in Maryland for a few years, where Frank worked for the Doolan family’s Old German beer distributorship. Their first two children, Frank IV and Michael, where born there. Then Janie and Frank decided to get away from the snow and moved to Florida. A third child, Sharon, was born in Pensacola in 1961. Frank joined the booming automobile business and the young family moved several times to cities in Florida and Alabama, eventually settling in Tallahassee in 1969. As a couple, Janie and Frank spent time socializing with family and friends and enjoyed dancing and dining out. They spent a great deal of time attending the various sporting events in which their children participated. Always slender and interested in exercise, Janie accepted an offer to teach a fitness class at Lafayette Park Community Center in the early 1980s. She went on to teach “Trimnastics” for the City of Tallahassee for nearly 30 years, with the class becoming a social group as well as an exercise class. For the past two years Janie had battled Alzheimer’s, and at the time of her death, pneumonia. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank. Janie is survived by her children, Francis Aloysius Doolan IV and wife Kirsten, Michael Patrick Doolan and Sharon Doolan Cropp and husband Rich, all of Tallahassee. Her grandchildren are Ashton Cropp, Brendan Doolan, Tory Doolan, Thomas Doolan, Brittany Cropp and John Olsen-Doolan, all of Tallahassee. She is survived by her sisters, Barbara Clark and husband Jim, and Claudia Beeman and husband Don, both of Barton, Maryland, and brothers Michael Burke of Altha, Florida and John Miller and wife Claire of Baltimore, Maryland. A celebration of Janie’s life will be held from 6 – 8 p.m. Thursday, June 14, 2012 at Bevis Funeral Home in Tallahassee. At Janie’s request she will be cremated and her ashes will be combined with those of her husband Frank at a memorial tree in Lafayette Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Big Bend Hospice. Bevis Funeral Home (850)385-2193, www.bevisfh.com, is in charge of the arrangements.

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Beverly Jane Doolan

November 19, 1938 - June 10, 2012