Our loving mother Jane Frances Silsbee passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on July 20, 2023.
Jane was born on August 30, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois to Jane Watt Fradenburgh and Richard
Fradenburgh. She grew up in Bennington, Vermont, graduating from Bennington High School as Valedictorian at age 16 and earning her B.A. in Physical Education at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. She met her future husband Carl Howard Silsbee on shipboard while returning from a trip to Europe. After working in Manhattan NY, they were married on August 25, 1951 in Bennington, Vermont. The newlyweds moved to Carl’s hometown of Oxnard and then lived in Riverside, Ventura, Almaden Valley, Davis, and Ojai CA. Following Carl’s passing, Jane moved to be near her daughter Carolyn in Cameron Park then moved to be near her son Carl in Rancho Cucamonga, in order to be close to family.
Jane lived a healthy full 96 years of life. She gave birth to and raised seven children. She
volunteered in numerous organizations including organizing the first girls’s soccer teams in
Davis in support of Title Nine programs. She taught beginning Spanish to seniors and taught
English to Spanish-speaking prisoners.
No one loved a big steak and a martini more. In later years, she often traveled with family to
Hawaii where she enjoyed the warm weather and ocean breezes. She enjoyed walking to the
post office to mail birthday letters and listening to podcasts, but more than anything she loved to play games. She thrived on competition and she played all games to win!
Jane and Carl were devout Catholics who raised their children in the church and attended
mass each Sunday. She volunteered as a eucharistic minister taking the host to the sick or
elderly. She donated monthly to many Catholic charities. In later years, she watched daily
mass on TV in addition to Sunday attendance. She attended mass on vacations and even took
Uber to church in her mid 90’s when she didn’t have a ride.
Jane was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Carl, her sister Barbara Hunter of
New Hampshire, and her parents. She is survived by her children and their families: Carl and
Maggie Silsbee of Rancho Cucamonga CA, Richard and Sandy Silsbee of Ukiah CA, Fred
Silsbee and Bettie Weiss of Santa Barbara CA, Bob and Linette Silsbee of Santa Ynez CA,
Mike and Barbara Park of Gilroy CA, David and Christina Silsbee of Oxnard CA, Kevin and
Carolyn Wilson of Cameron Park CA, 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Whether
she was known as Janie, mom, Mrs. Silsbee, Aunt Jane, Grandma Jane or GG she was loved
by all for her wit, generosity, determination and sense of humor.
Donations can be made in Jane’s name to the following charities she regularly supported:
Saint Peter and Paul Church 9135 Banyan St. Alta Loma CA 91737-2838
The Salvation Army PO Box 60541 City of Industry CA 91716-0541
Maryknoll Sisters PO Box 317 Maryknoll NY 10545-9917
Habitat for Humanity 322 Lamar St. Americus, GA 31709
Catholic Relief Service/ Donor Services PO Box 5202 Harlan LA 51593-4702
American Lung Association PO Box 70350 Philadelphia PA 19176-0350
KVCR TV/FM 701 S. Mt. Vernon San Bernardino CA 92410
St. Joseph’s Indian School PO Box 326 Chamberlain, South Dakota 57326
Flowers:
Bernardo’s Flowers
2031 N. Oxnard Blvd
Oxnard CA 93036