Jane Blumenfeld

Jane Blumenfeld passed with grace on June 5, joining her beloved Jack, husband and partner of over 50 years. Born Jane Watkins on November 8th, 1932 at Germantown hospital mother Katherine McGillycuddy Watkins and father Joseph Farrell.

Jane rises away temporarily from three children and five grandchildren, Robin, David and Eric and spouses Tracy and Laura , grandchildren Carly, Alec, Alexis, Jesse, and five month old Penelope Rose.

 

Jane grew up in Germantown ; her ancestors migrated from Germany back in the late 1800s starting as day milkers, carrying buckets of milk from the trains to neighboring families.

Jane started as a secretary for developer Jack in the 1950s and after their marriage eventually became his interior and landscape designer for such prolific projects as 7901 Henry Avenue, 9600 Condominiums in Margate, Executive House Apartments on City Line Avenue ,1500 Locust Street and the Pennsport Mall in South Philadelphia.

After graduating from The Restaurant School in 1978, Jane’s first solo act was a neighborhood restaurant known as “What’s Cooking” which served as a backdrop for the making of the movie Witness starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis, and along with Director, Peter Weir, were regulars at the restaurant according to Jane’s son, Eric, a waiter at the time. Located at 15th and Latimer streets down the block from Dewey’s hot dogs and next door to McGlinchey’s Bar, In the 1980s “What’s Cooking” won various culinary awards for Mom’s cherry flavored crispy duck, white chocolate cheesecake and her chocolate chip cookies that competed one and two with Famous 4th St Deli for many years.

Jane won the best bonnet at the Easter parade in the early 1960s and had the beauty and elegance of Audrey Hepburn according to her daughter Robin. Later she served as a judge for many years at the Easter parade on South Street and the ESPN sponsored Welcome America alongside such dignitaries as Jerry Blavit, Maurice Cheeks, Ed Rendell and Henry David of Halloween fame.  Jane will be missed by her family and her caregivers, especially her best friend Imelda DeRamos who made her final years exceptional.

There will be a graveside service at West Laurel Hill Cemetery on Thursday June 8th, 2023 at 11 AM where Jane will be laid to rest next to her husband, Jack.

The family will be sitting shiva at the home of Eric Blumenfeld and Laura Cordaro through Friday afternoon.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Vetri Foundation.