Eleanor "Jane" (Widdows) Stead

Eleanor “Jane” (Widdows) Stead went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, January 10 after a long battle with vascular dementia.

Jane was born in Grand Junction, Colorado on April 15, 1945. Her parents were William and Margaret (Wilcox) Widdows. In 1965, Jane married Mike Stead of San Francisco, California. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Math Education in 1967 from Colorado University, but Jane chose to focus on her home and her family. She and her husband Mike moved over 25 times, and lived in Kansas, Wyoming, Saudi Arabia, California, and Colorado. Jane and Mike enjoyed unique traveling experiences that took them to over fifty countries. Eventually their love for travel changed to aiding on short-term mission trips, particularly to Nigeria, where they visited several times to help AIDS widows and orphans. Jane also enjoyed scrapbooking and basketmaking, and teaching classes in these subjects. 

Jane is survived by her daughter April (Stead) Byall and husband, Lee; son Daniel Stead and wife, Katerina; son David Stead and wife, Lindi; grandchildren Benjamin Byall, Isaac Byall, Josiah Byall, Evangelyn (Byall) Craig and husband, Ethan, Jotham Byall, and Dante Stead; great-grandchildren William Byall and Julian Craig, and brother Jim Widdows and wife, Debbie. She is proceeded in death by her husband, Mike, of 52 years, and her twin sister, Elaine (Widdows) Harris. 

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Koinonia Senior Care, Harry Hynes Hospice, Family Health & Rehab, and Oxford Grand Senior Living for all the loving care they provided to Jane through her long illness. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Koinonia Senior Care, 13303 W. Maple, Suite 139, PMB #128, Wichita, KS 67235, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202 or Westside Bible Chapel, 12050 W. Central Ave., Wichita, KS 67235.