08/07/2026
Some of my earliest memories of being on camp staff are of Jane Ives being part of the leadership of Elementary Cabin Camps. Her energy was so contagious, your spirits were instantly raised just by being in her presence. Being on staff with Bonnie and Stephen, I got to see a lot of Jane and Cliff as they visited them during the summer. Or when we snuck away to the end of the “Boot” on the pond just to get a way. Jane’s smile and wonderful hugs always greeted us. They also hosted many canoe trips and put up with campers sitting on their lawn eating a lunch before heading back to the main camp. I am sure it was not exactly what they wanted but they never said no.
Over the years Jane has always gone out of her way to give me words of encouragement. She has such a beautiful way of making you feel good about yourself and the work you were doing. She communicated in a quiet manner that was straight from the heart. I noticed early on that her reflections of camp mostly came in the forms of short stories. Like when she took me into the basement of the lodge when it was being renovated. “Norm, I want you to imagine us living under here in makeshift rooms for the entire summer, it was crowded and could be cold, but we loved it.” She would go on to tell me who and where everyone slept and what they did in the evenings, including being “allowed” to sneak out to watch for shooting stars on the dock. Here stories always had real people, their names, where they were from, what they liked to do for fun, and how much the kids loved them.
Perhaps that is what I remember and cherish the most about our conversations—they were not superficial…they were meaningful. When she asked you how you were doing, you could expect a follow-up question or two. I caught her once looking at her grandson Josh as he was washing dishes with me after a dinner meal in the Commons. She had the biggest grin on her face as she stood across the room. She finally came over and said, “This scene is just perfect.” This made Josh and I both smile and laugh. She just had a way of making you feel good about what you were doing and who you were. We certainly will miss this incredible foundational force of the ministry we call Mechuwana. https://www.hobbsfuneralhome.com/obituary/jane-ives
Norm
