M Jane Friel

M. Jane Friel, age 84 of Cincinnati died on Friday March 4, 2005 at Hospice of Cincinnati. She was born February 1, 1921. Born February 1, 1921, Martha Jane Friel (Jane), the oldest of four children, was reared in Indiana, PA. As a young girl, she was awarded an art scholarship by a college in Pennsylvania, but, due to extenuating circumstances, her dream of becoming an artist was never realized. Instead, she attended Indiana Business School and Indiana State Teachers College of PA. After college, she worked as an executive secretary and had her own radio talk show, "Leave It To Jane." During W.W.II, she was Directress of Personnel for a plant that manufactured fuses for grenades. Following W.W.II, she met Roy Friel who was fresh off a ship where he served as a Communications Officer in the Pacific. Upon his return from the navy, he opened a coal mining business south of Zanesville, OH and married Jane in 1948. She served as secretary for the business for many years. Jane was famous for her gourmet cooking and beautiful presentations. She was very creative with interior decorating, holiday and party costumes and trimmings (Martha Stewart weep!). Her lovely scripted handwriting was greatly admired by all. Jane was the devoted mother of three girls, whom she taxied to and from school, lessons, and activities times three! By the time their oldest child was eleven, Roy decided to pursue his dream of having a "few" horses for their three girls to ride. One of his farms was perfect for the endeavor with an 1880's brick house overlooking a large lake. Before long, there were state-of-the-art stables, a remodeled house, a race track and arena, all surrounded by white picket fencing. Jane named it Pine Lake Horse Farm and designed the logo. Eventually, they owned, showed, raced, and bred over seventy quarter horses! Jane ran a western store at the farm that was the most profitable part of the venture. Roy died in 1974, leaving Jane to manage the properties and closures of the businesses. Jane belonged to Grace United Methodist Church, a church circle, school PTA's, the Bethesda Hospital Guild, the Zanesville Country Club, the Eastern Star, the Republican Party, bridge clubs, the board of the YWCA, etc. In 1996, Jane moved to Cincinnati to be closer to her girls, two sons-in-law and a granddaughter, all of whom adored her. She moved to Sunrise Assisted Living in October, 2002, where she made many friends who will miss her. Jane was preceded in death by her parents: Hazel and John Rowe MacMichael, a sister Laura Pauline Mancuso, and a brother John Rowe MacMichael Jr. She is survived by three daughters: Lindsay Zierolf (Robert), Sydney McHugh (Frank), and Patricia Friel, all of Cincinnati; a grandaughter Gretchen Zierolf of Philadelphia; a sister Kitt MacMichael of Pittsburgh; and numerous nieces and nephews, including Nancy Mercer (Dan), Robert and James Friel (Linda and Carol) of Zanesville. Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Monday March 7, at the Bolin Dierkes Funeral Home in Zanesville, OH, and one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday. The funeral will take place at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday March 8, at Grace United Methodist Church, 516 Shinnick St., Zanesville, OH. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send a donation in Jane's name to Grace United Methodist Church or to Hospice of Cincinnati, 4310 Cooper Rd., Cincinnati, OH.