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Catherine Jane Zoeller, nee Whitford was more than just a wife, mom, caregiver, grandmother - she was a testament to a life well-lived. Marked by her strong faith and a profound love for her family and friends, this remarkable woman passed on to her eternal home at the age of 91, on January 31, 2025, with her beloved husband, Bob, sitting at her side and holding her hand.
Born in Patterson, NJ to George and Helen Whitford, Jane lived in many different places as a young girl. Confronted with loss early in her life, Jane’s father passed away from tuberculosis when she was 14 months old. Her mother, Helen, was a nurse and with rotating shifts and other requirements of her profession, Jane was sent to various Catholic boarding schools, graduating from the Ursuline Academy for Girls boarding school in Paola, KS in 1951. Jane’s varied school experiences resulted in a love of travel, as well as the pursuit of lifelong friendships, which she never tired of talking about or visiting whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Upon graduating from high school, Jane pursued a nursing career, attending St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City, where she met the love of her life at a St. Patrick’s Day dance, Robert (Bob) Zoeller. The two were married on December 29,1956 and began their life together. Immediately following their wedding, Jane and Bob moved to Indiana, where Bob received his MBA and then as an Army officer, Jane followed Bob to many different duty stations. Along the way, they added six children, three girls and three boys, to their family. Upon discharge from the Army, Bob and Jane settled in Bartlesville, OK, where they lived for over 60 years
Jane kept remarkably busy raising her brood, keeping God and her Catholic faith as a living, breathing part of her daily life and that of her family. Jane’s faith was not passive, as you could not know Jane without knowing of her steadfast and unfailing devotion to St. Jude the patron saint of difficult and impossible causes. To know Jane was to recognize that St. Jude was called on for any need too burdensome for Jane to manage by herself. It was her deep faith and desire to emulate Christ which was the catalyst for all her selfless years of volunteering. She and Bob were parishioners at St. James Catholic Church for more than 60 years. Together they served as Religious Education directors for over 10 years and were very involved with the St. James’ Mardi Gras annual fundraiser. Jane was highly active in the parish’s Women’s Circle, which supported many local community organizations. She volunteered and remained active for numerous years with Habitat for Humanity, CONCERN food pantry and childcare center, and were cornerstones of the Mary and Martha Outreach program.
In addition to her busy volunteering, Jane never missed supporting all her children’s extracurricular activities from attending sporting events, theater & choir programs, to helping support the fundraising activities involved.
Jane was most proud of her role as wife and mother. As the years passed and children left the nest, Jane began working as a Before and After School attendant. Despite starting out as a nurse, Jane’s love of children and passion to care for the” littlest ones” guided her to a new career as a Before and After School Care attendant, eventually becoming the Director of the program at Wayside Elementary School.
Jane and Bob were married for 68 years and developed extraordinarily strong, lifelong friendships, several of which were made while in the Army and would later be part of many amazing and treasured vacations. The retelling of travel adventures provided years of fanciful stories and belly laughter. Jane and Bob spent many summers travelling to see family and Army friends, spending fun-filled days camping in CO, trips to the West and East Coasts for ocean fun, as well as many other excursions. Jane always said there was so much in the United States that was not seen, so vacations with the family of eight stuffed into the nine-passenger station wagon and the eight-sleeper pop-up camper dragging behind, was the foundation for many wild and crazy adventures!
Jane and Bob loved playing Bridge and hosted many card nights with close friends as well as Jane’s favorite adult beverage, the “Manhattan.” They also took many trips to Branson, MO with friends to see their favorite singer Daniel O’Donnel, the Irish tenor. And speaking of Irish … Jane was immensely proud of her Irish roots. She told many stories of how her relatives came to the U.S. landing in New York and every St. Patrick’s Day she could be found making her famous Irish Soda Bread and Lemon Curd, recipes from the “old country.” One of her favorite trips was when she and Bob visited Ireland and of course her favorite color was the wearing of the green.
Jane is survived by her loving husband, Bob, and six children: Patrice (Gary), Bob (Baida), Kathy, Jerry (Michelle), Dan (Tami), and Maureen (Ray); her grandchildren: Clarissa (Scott), Ryan (Freya), Austin (Alexandra), Catherine; Brandon (Ashleigh), Jared (Sophia); Karleigh (Trey); Dana, Madison, Isabelle, Ian, and Victoria; 12 great-grandchildren: Diego, Felix, Thea, Kara, Julia, Lucas, Mariah, Mateo, Marzel, Gunner, Abrian, and Cason; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Immediate family members whose passing preceded Jane’s include her parents, brother and sister-in-law Tom and Pat Zoeller, along with many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation on Wednesday, February 12 from 5-7pm with a Rosary immediately following. The visitation will be held at Stumpff Funeral Home @ 1600 Southeast Washington Blvd, Bartlesville, OK. A Mass of the Resurrection will be held at St. James Catholic Church, 5500 Douglas Lane, Bartlesville, OK on Thursday, February 13 at 2pm with a visitation one hour prior to Mass. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a cause that held a special place in Jane’s heart.
Jane will forever be remembered and cherished in our hearts. Her life was a testament to the power of faith and boundless love. Though she may no longer be with us in person, her spirit lives on in the memories created and the lives she enriched.
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