Jane Marie Pinger was called home to God on Sunday, December 17, surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Jane was born in Chicago, Illinois to Elizabeth Wieland on January 24, 1930. She attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. There, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education and met her husband of 46 years Edward Francis Pinger, who preceded her in death. Jane and Ed went on to raise six children; Jane Sharpe, Guy Pinger, John Pinger, Nancy Wenske, Diane Wratten, and lastly Susie Pinger, who was born with Downs Syndrome and also preceded her in death.

After moving to California in 1970, Jane became involved with Special Education, or more importantly, the lack of Special Education, and championed the rights of the disabled, both locally and nationally. Jane, along with other likeminded friends, organized a national March on Washington D.C. in 1986 to prevent the repeal of P.L. 94 142 which guaranteed a free and appropriate public education for disabled children. Jane and her team spoke to Congress, and the assault on P.L. 94 142 failed. Jane served as a local and Regional Special Olympics Coordinator, and continued her work with the disabled community, most notably with the Adaptive Learning Center in Concord, CA where she helped mentally and physically disabled persons find work and lead independent lives, until her retirement.

Jane enjoyed traveling, baking, painting, crafts, and reading. But Jane's greatest joy was found in her family, and especially her grandchildren Jenny Fewell, Melissa George, Katie Sharpe, Fumei and Max Pinger, Jakki and Paige Pinger, Carl Wenske, Shawna Walsh, and Claire and Elizabeth Wratten, and her great grandchildren Owen and Ellis Fewell, Avary and Greyson George, Charlie Tittle, Skyler Johnson, Sampson Beyke, and Liam Walsh.

A memorial funeral liturgy will be held on Friday, January 12, 2024, at 10:30am at Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church, 3351 Contra Loma Blvd, Antioch, CA 94509. She, along with her daughter Susie, will be interred at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Lafayette, CA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you donate to the Northern California Special Olympics.