Jane McIlnay, 101, of Orange City, Florida and resident of John Knox Village, met Jesus face to face on Sunday, August 1, 2021. The family request that you join them on Saturday, August 7th at 1:00 pm for a Celebration of Life service to be held at First Baptist Church Daytona Beach, 10 First Baptist Parkway, Daytona Beach, FL 32124.
Jane was born in Atlanta, GA in 1920 then moved with her family to various locations throughout Florida until meeting and marrying her husband of 37 years, Ross, who eventually moved them to Daytona Beach. Jane was a homemaker until the passing of her husband, then she dutifully took over his citrus pulp brokerage until her retirement. Jane continued to reside in Daytona Beach until she moved into John Knox Village in 2003. In 2008, Jane survived a simultaneous battle with two types of cancer, never losing her zeal for life. Then in 2016, she beat the odds of surviving a stroke and continued to reign as the dogmatic, domineering, dictatorial matriarch of her family as called herself!
She was a long time member of First Baptist Church Daytona Beach where she served in many different ministries over the years, from singing in the choir, to being a Sunday School teacher and department director, to working in the sound room. She loved working with people and serving the Lord but most importantly, telling others about the free gift of Christ's love and forgiveness!
She was an avid traveler, making many trips with her daughter, Blake, to Kentucky and Tennessee to drop off and pick up her granddaughters to and from college each year. They also made many trips around the country from Georgia and the Carolinas, to various places along the southern states, to many places out in the western United States, even traveling internationally to Mexico; sometimes driving a car but often times in her camper. She also made yearly trips with her friends to various places around the country. These trips with her daughter and friends were often very memorable!
Jane was proceeded in death by her husband, Ross McIlnay, daughter, Jill Lotto, parents Chester McDonald and Helen Blake McDonald, and brother Jack McDonald. She will be missed by her daughter, Blake Schmidt; grandsons Rick Eversole (Laura) and Russ Eversole; granddaughters Tamra Sams (Shannon), Tarra McCall (Paul), and Terri Schmidt; great grandchildren Chase Eversole (Eloisa), Kamryn Eversole, Dustyn Sams, Devyn Sams, Aislin McCall, Kimbell McCall and adopted great grandson, Colin Woods; all of which affectionately called her "GGmom".
Memorial donations can be made in honor of Jane to First Baptist Church Daytona Beach, 10 First Baptist Parkway or the Wounded Warrior Project, WoundedWarriorProject.org.