Jane Cooper passed away April 6, 2023, at age 76. Jane was born in Manchester, NH on July 12, 1946, the daughter of Jacob “Icy”and Ethel Burkin Cooper. She is survived by her loving cousins, Diane Burkin Hirschberg, and Andrea Brown, and her beloved lifelong friends who became her family: Janet Katz, Nora Braverman, Alice Fox, Joan Schmitz, Barbara Tomlin, Meryl Lipton, Laverne Berry and Barbara Campbell. Jane is survived by her ex-husband Jack Tomlin.
Jane graduated from Francis Lewis High School in 1965 and attended Queens College graduating in 1984 with a Master’s in Education, a Master’s in Exercise Physiology, and Masters of Social Work from NYU. Jane added to her impressive credentials in 1970 and became a Yoga instructor, at the LevyShea Yoga Studio and the YMCA in NYC.
Jane was a prolific pottery for over 10 years. She was a founding member of the Downtown Potters Association and the Mercer Street Pottery Studio and studied pottery at the Cooper Square Art Center in 1970. Jane loved crafts and expressing herself through artistic interests and hobbies. She was a Jane talented photographer, jeweler, worked with tile and loved to sew. Jane lived much of her life in downtown Manhattan and in Nyack, NY. Wherever Jane lived she made lasting lifelong friends and became a beloved and integral part of the local community.
Some wonderful recollections of Jane and her many interests: Jane performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade as a clown. She adored her dogs: Watson, Lola and Teddy. She enjoyed bird watching, made a point of seeing all of Shakespeare’s plays at the Public Theatre over a span of years, made wonderful little films for friends and always found interesting new friends to add to her group.
Jane loved to travel and went on many road trips with and to see dear friends in California, Colorado, Rochester, NY, New Mexico, and Fire Island. One of Jane’s last trips was an exciting cruise to Iceland with her dear friend Barbara.
Jane will be remembered for her iconic dark curly hair, laughing electric ice blue eyes, and a movie star smile. Jane fostered many loving and long-lasting lifelong friendships and her friends became her family and were an integral and important part of her life. Jane’s friends will forever miss her excitement in starting a new creative interest, taking an amazing photo of a sunset, and just enjoying life and being present in the moment.
