Jane Birk

Jane Tipton Birk of Atlantic Beach, Fla. died of natural causes on Monday, May 8, 2017. She was 94.

She was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Harold F. Birk, D.M.D. (Capt. USN Ret.), son Col. Frank T. (Connie) Birk (USAF Ret.), daughter Elizabeth Birk (Theodore) Oatis, Theodore Oatis, her parents Edward and Myra Tipton of Newton, Mass., sister Anne Tipton Gardner (Carol) Scotch Plains, NJ, and Robert and Patricia S. Birk of Bloomingdale, NY. She leaves four children: Stephanie Birk (David) Costello of Bend, Ore.; John R. (Susan) Birk of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Harold F. (Susan) Birk Jr. of Westport, Conn., and Edward L. (Cecilia) Birk of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; along with twelve grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Jane and Harold epitomized the Greatest Generation. Six months after Jane graduated from Wheaton College (Mass.), and three months after Harold returned from the Pacific, where he served as a dental officer and plank holder on the USS Wisconsin, they were married on December 1, 1945 during a blizzard. Dr. and Mrs. Birk settled in Wellesley, Mass. where they built a successful dental practice and raised their six children.  From retirement in 1983 until Harold’s death in 2000 due to complications following heart surgery, they enjoyed the fruits of their faith and labor by traveling and visiting their far-flung family. In 1999, they moved to Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach, FL. Jane and Harold loved to ski, play tennis, fish, and suffered greatly as life-long Red Sox fans.

Jane will be remembered as exemplifying kindness, a love of lifelong learning, an enduring spirit that helped her meet and overcome life’s challenges, and an unyielding adherence to the belief that life was to be lived as a matter of conviction rather than convenience.

Jane’s family expresses their great admiration and gratitude to all the wonderful people at Fleet Landing who cared for Jane. You all are amazing examples of God’s love.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 3rd at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.