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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Jane Jamison - 1955 - 2011

Jane Jamison - 1955 - 2011

By Dell


        Jane Jamison 1955 - 2011

Just as we rejoice and revel with good news, so we must try to find a way to accept the bad.  A person of public note has died and the circumstances surrounding her death have remained an agonizing mystery.  I hope to alleviate some of that mystery for the thousands of Uncoverage.net readers and her loyal following here.

According to the California Department of Vital Records, on or about August 27th, the lady we’ve all come to know and love as Jane Jamison died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following an investigation by local authorities, it was determined that no foul play was involved.  An autopsy was performed to determine the exact cause of death.  


As has been written by the lady herself, Jane Jamison was a pen name that she used to protect herself and her family members from suffering retaliation by those she spoke out against, and there were many.


Yes, I know her real name, her other “stage names” (from her radio and television days), her maiden name, her address, phone number and the names of at least three of her family members.  I respectfully request that any comments on this blog NOT include any of that identifying information, for the very same reasons that Jane requested.  


As I have written previously, Jane mailed me a hand-written letter that I suspected was a birthday card, which turned out to be an explanation of her physical plight, with strong emphasis on the fact that she was very rapidly going blind.  Her explanation led me to immediately suspect some underlying medical issue, such as a possible brain tumor, which had been diagnosed and reported to her as an immediate life-threatening condition.  


Understand, please, that this was total speculation on my part, and based solely on her parting words to me in that letter.  Having been a professional investigator for nearly 30 years, I couldn’t help but wonder.


Jane gave me the name and phone number of her younger brother and instructed me to call him.  I did so immediately and it was at that moment her brother confirmed that she had already died.  He had received a similar letter from his sister that, as you would expect, went in to much greater detail.  That mailing also included a copy of her last will and testament and her official designation of him as the executor of her estate.


Based on the wording of both letters, it did not come as a great shock when the results of her untimely death was determined to be suicide.  I know - because she told me - that there were other factors in her personal life that contributed to her depressed state of mind.  I just wish there was some way I could investigate further and determine if there was an overwhelmingly compelling reason for her to take such drastic action.  


Jane Jamison was a very strong woman; some would even say totally fearless as she reported local and world events despite numerous death threats that never made it to the comments section of the Uncoverage.net web site.  I saw many of those threats and several were, in my opinion, serious enough to be reported as criminal acts of threatening behavior. I honestly don’t know if she ever filed any police reports.


Jane was divorced, raised her two daughters and lived alone after they had reached maturity and “left the nest”.  She was a firm believer in the Second Amendment and I knew she owned - and was quite proficient with - a handgun that she kept for home and self defense purposes.  She didn’t enjoy the luxury of a security detail and I know she went to great lengths to mask her travels so as not to be an easy target for some deranged person. We had talked about self defense tactics and I was confident that she was doing everything possible to protect herself.


I mention these facts here to underscore my belief that there was something other than her impending blindness that caused Jane to give up.  Unfortunately, we may never know.  I DO know that normally the words “give up” and “Jane Jamison” would never be used in the same sentence.


It was at Jane’s direction that there be no obituary published, no funeral or memorial services, and no mention of her death to be made to anyone.  I was stunned to learn that her ex-husband and daughters were not aware of her death until a month after the fact, and they learned of her death through a third party.  I knew they were not on the best of terms, but I was shocked to learn just how serious that rift was.


Jane Jamison is survived by her parents, several siblings and two daughters.  On behalf of several thousand people, we offer our sincere condolences to them all.  At her direction, Jane’s remains were cremated and her ashes delivered to her family members living in her beloved Nebraska.


Little Sister - Rest In Peace.

18 comments:

  1. Thanks Dell for giving me some closure. Never met Jane but she truly was a Facebook friend. I really don't think she knew how many friends she really had. Good luck and God Bless

    Joey Porter

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  2. Thanks, Joey...very kind of you to say. And don't feel too bad, I never met her, either! We were 3,000 miles apart, spoke on the phone many times, Emailed a bazillion times, but we never met in person. For that I'm truly sorry.

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  3. She's a very accommodating FB friend. Ask her anything and she'd offer you what she can and one would know it's coming from the heart. Such a nice and gifted person. While she did a sinful act of ending her own life I pray to G-D Almighty that He forgive her for everything she's done. May she rest in peace!

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  4. Thank you Dell,
    I'm one of her brothers (for real)& I do appreciate your handling of this matter in a
    wise and mature fashion. Our family may never fully realize the extent of my sister's fame in cyberspace. We all miss her dearly. I do appreciate you closing down Uncoverage.net as it seemed surreal for me to keep checking the site and see her old posts there.
    God bless you and good luck on the blog

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  5. I received the above anonymous comment yesterday, October 21st, and I believe this to be from one of Jane's brothers, therefore I cleared it for publication today.

    This is the first communication - albeit one-sided - that I've had with any member of JJ's family since speaking with her younger brother immediately after her death.

    Anonymous, my direct Email address is: GoldenEagle4444@GMail.com. You're welcome and encouraged to contact me at any time.

    Dell Hill

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  6. I know I'm a better person to have known her both as a person and a persona. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. I know she struggled to keep her life private and I respect that. Love Bill

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  7. Thank You, Very Kindly, Bill

    Jane's family is aware of this post and I'm sure they appreciate your words of condolence.

    Dell

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  8. I can simply say I miss JJ, you can't make me believe she took her own life.

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  9. Take solace in knowing that JJ loved her some "BigFurHat". She had a great sense of humor and iotw was one of her favorite web sites.

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  10. Mark Behan said...

    I miss this wonderful...wonderful woman....every day......every hour....
    November 12, 2011 5:57 AM

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  11. She ABSOLUTELY Rocked. Def-O feel the lack in this world without her astute observations and less than reserved commentary much welcomed.

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  12. Oh man!!! Just a few weeks ago, I wondered what happened to Jane. Sad to hear of her passing and I hope and pray she finds peace.

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  13. Every day I blame myself for not doing what an experienced law enforcement officer would have done - and should have done - to prevent the tragic loss of our dear friend.

    I've tried to approach her immediate family, but have been turned aside by all but one of her siblings. Another failure on my part to try and make people aware of the impact that this incredible woman had on events the world over.

    With the anniversary of her death approaching, I'm beside myself with grief for a friend I never met! There are just no words to describe this loss.

    All I can say now is what JJ would have said - "God Bless America".

    DRH

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    Replies
    1. I'm an old friend of Joni's. We dated all through High School. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates Illinois. I was just looking her up and found this. I can't tell you how devastated I am to hear this terrible news.

      I last saw her when she was 21 years old, but I spoke to her approximately five years ago when I was having marital problems of my own.

      By the way she was born March 26th 1956.

      I don't know what to say. I'm sick to my stomach.

      LM

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  14. stop blaming yourself dell. She was in complete charge of her life. I still miss her and cry when I read these posts. she made the decision

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