Remembering Jane McKinley

Most happy events are the same, but each unhappy one is unhappy after its own fashion. So is the case of losing a member of our community the way we lost Jane McKinley. Each of us will address the loss in our own way.

We are not going to delve into the details of the tragedy–you can get those from any number of outlets. There is no good way to tackle an article like this, however, the Mirror wanted to remember Jane in our own way–as a fellow writer who was gracious enough to write a few pieces for the Mirror that offered wisdom and heartfelt passion for this town.

I met Jane around five years ago at one of the Lemon Tree’s Friday night music events. We drank some wine and argued about a movie–I think it was La La Land (I hated it, she loved it). Whenever I ran into her, we would chat, mostly about her love for Cape Charles. Once, I asked her what brought her to make this place her home. For her, it was the small town, a quiet life, but in a significant way, it was the trees. I was struck by how passionate she was about our trees and the beautiful tree canopy. I told her that this was interesting material and that folks around here would love to read about it–why don’t you write something and send it in?

And she did. Her work was well-crafted and deeply insightful and echoed the essence of the landscape of our town, the rhythm of our community, and the spirit of our shared care for this place. She wrote several articles on the town’s treescape and even submitted a fun piece about her participation in the Between the Waters bicycle tour.

Jane eventually turned her passion into action and advocacy for preserving our local tree canopy by becoming one of the leading voices for the Cape Charles Tree Advisory Board where she helped to craft a comprehensive tree-planting program for the town.

Jane’s love of plants and nature was exposed through her achieving master gardener status.

Jane and the Mirror had our ups and downs, and our relationship cooled over differing opinions about the fate of the concrete plant (Mirror supported the plant, Jane not so much)–which kind of makes sense if you think about it.

Trying to reflect on a senseless tragedy like this can dig up old memories that intensify the loss. I remember a conversation she and I had a few years ago. We both shared a common love for the church bells in town, how we would stop at the top of the hour and listen to the different chimes come together to form a quiet tapestry of space and time. She had a reverence for them. I told her, “Jane, you should write a piece about this. I think you have just the best perspective for it!”

Jane never got the chance to write about the bells, but she did leave us with a belief in the beauty of trees, and how their essence breathed life into our surroundings, transforming mere landscapes into vibrant canvases of color and fragrance. Her legacy will continue as the Tree Advisory Board continues its work.

Jane’s passion for living things was guided by a profound reverence for the earth–it nurtured the seeds of hope and possibility, inspiring us all to embrace the beauty of creation that lives beside us each day.

This is all. Some of Jane’s work is provided in the links below:

Jane McKinley: All About Trees – Selecting & Planting the Right Tree

Jane McKinley: Now’s the Time for a Victory Garden

Jane McKinley: Many Caught the Wave at the 2018 CBES ‘Between the Waters’ Bike Ride

Jane McKinley: The 2017 Cape Charles Tree Survey

Trees Are Good –They Give Back So Much

Cape Charles Colors of December

Master Gardener Advice for Fall Lawn Maintenance