Jane Hemphill Obituary

Longtime Durango resident, Jane Louis Hemphill, 89, died from complications of Parkinson's disease on October 19, 2015 at Four Corners Health Center. The daughter of Austin and Jessie (Scroggin) Schaffenacker, Jane was born October 1, 1926 and was raised in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois and graduated from Mt. Pulaski Township High School in 1944. She continued her education at Western Illinois University where she was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1948. On February 14, 1946 she met Robert (Bob) Hemphill at a Valentine's Day dance and they were married January 1, 1947.

The young couple started their teaching careers in La Junta, Colorado, where Jane taught English. In 1950 they returned to Illinois and settled in Newman. Jane continued teaching and raised a family. Never forgetting their love for Colorado, the Hemphills moved to Durango in 1970. Jane taught for several years at Ignacio High School and then helped her husband operate two motels in Durango. They retired from the motel business in 1994 and moved to Arizona first to Casa Grande and then to Green Valley. In 2005 they returned to Durango to be near their daughter.

Jane was an excellent cook and baker and an avid Bridge and Scrabble player. She enjoyed Shakespeare, poetry, and the theater and did a lot of mountain hiking and cross country skiing with her husband. Their extensive travels throughout the US and Europe are chronicled in the many photo albums she loved putting together.

Jane sang in church or community choirs for many years. She was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Reading Club of Durango.

She is survived by her daughter, Phoebe Hemphill of Durango; son, William Hemphill (Billie Ruth) of Cottage Grove, OR; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Jane was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Bob Hemphill, and her sister, Rhoda Walker.

No services are planned at this time. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.

Online condolences to the family may be posted at hoodmortuary.com.