Gleaves, Jane Ann Thompson (Janey)

Jane Ann Thompson Gleaves, known to her family and friends as "Janey," died at Richland Place Health Care Center in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 13, 2016, after a long illness. Born and raised in Cullman, Alabama, to Leonard W. Thompson and the former Mildred Nunnally, Janey won many superlative awards at Cullman High School, including Homecoming Queen. She was elected Governor of Alabama Girl's State her senior year. A talented singer and pianist, Janey entered David Lipscomb College in 1955. An instrumental music major, her vocal talent and natural stage presence earned her the lead role in Oklahoma! her freshman year. She graduated from Lipscomb with a B.A. in 1959.

She married one of her Lipscomb classmates, Michael McCrickard, Sr., in 1957. The couple had three children and divorced in 1967. Janey raised her three children in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville and entered the workforce in 1970.

She purchased an arts and crafts shop on Bandywood Drive and renamed it the Patchwork Corner. She successfully ran this business until the late 1970s, when she sold it and went to work at McClure's Department Store as the gift buyer.

After about eight years, she went to work at Cheekwood Fine Arts Center as the buyer for their gift shop. She left that job in the mid- 1980s and opened a dress shop in Brentwood. Janey's final position was at the Bill Wilkerson Hearing and Speech Center, where she was the Director of Communications and Public Relations for almost twenty years.

In 1978, she married Dr. Edwin S. Gleaves, then the Director of the Library Science program at Peabody College. Dr. Gleaves was later named State Librarian and Archivist for Tennessee. The couple traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, also visiting Central and South America and numerous countries in Europe. Janey was a life-long Democrat and a confidante to many, to everyone from troubled children in her neighborhood to various relatives, friends and strangers that needed a sympathetic ear. She was often described as someone who "lights up the room" wherever she goes. Her tireless devotion to her immediate and extended family never wavered throughout her life.

Fondly remembered for her ready smile and her warm and gracious manner, Janey is survived by her husband, Edwin and three children, Allison Hunt (Brad) of Pensacola, Florida, and her son Reece, Michael McCrickard, Jr. (Anita) of Kensington, Maryland, and their two sons, Liam and Connor, and Miles McCrickard (Sherry) of Dickson, Tennessee. She is also survived by a step-daughter, Susan Bollig (Mark) of Franktown, Colorado, and their son,

Blake. Janey is also survived by a step-son, David Gleaves (Donita) of Adelaide, Australia, and their two children, Juliana and Brandon. She is also survived by three siblings, Mary Guthery and Charlie Thompson (Margaret) of Cullman, Alabama, and Linda Carman of Nashville, as well as three nieces, Rebecca Brazeal of Birmingham, Alabama, Jeannie Guthery of Cullman, Ann Caretti (Jimmy) of Cullman, and one nephew, Chip Thompson (Amy), also of Cullman. Janey is also survived by one brother-in-law, Robert Gleaves (Cathie) of Charlotte, North Carolina. A memorial service will be held at 2pm, Saturday, October 1, 2016, at Strong Tower Bible Church on Granny White Pike,

with visitation starting at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, in Janey’s name. Guestbook online at www.crawfordservices.com.

Crawford Mortuary and Crematory, 615 254 8200.