Barbara Jean Kane, who spent much of her youth in East Hampton and was a frequent visitor to the town, died on Jan. 18. She was 73 and lived in Mechanicsville, Va.
Ms. Kane found great satisfaction working with children with disabilities, her family said, both privately and for Hanover County in Virginia. She was a member of the Mechanicsville Christian Center for more than 30 years.
She was born on Sept. 20, 1951, on the former Albuquerque Army Air Base, now Kirtland Air Force Base, to Orten H. Symer and Jean Filer Symer. She grew up in East Hampton and Wantagh, attending high school in both places and subsequently graduating from Baldwin High School. She also attended Frederick’s Beauty School in Baldwin, where she studied under several well-known stylists, including Vidal Sassoon.
Throughout her life, she loved cats and dogs and had several at any given time. They were her “kids,” and her three latest “fur babies” miss her mightily, her family said. She enjoyed car rides, especially day trips, and chatting with her many friends on her Facebook groups. She was a tough lady and there was little that could stop her, her family said, adding that she was well liked by just about everyone.
Ms. Kane is survived by her husband of 55 years, William (Bill) Kane of Mechanicsville; a daughter, Susan Kane, and a son-in-law, Eduardo Quiroz, and their children, Zianya and Maya, all of East Hampton; a son, Jeremy Kane, and his wife, Katie Kane, and their children, Laura, Daniel, and Juliana, all of Richmond, Va., and by two sisters, Carole Symer of Brighton, Mich., and Donna Symer of East Hampton.
Her family would like to thank the staff of the coronary care and hospice sections of Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville for the care and compassion they showed Ms. Kane in her final days.
There was no service. Ms. Kane’s family has suggested memorial contributions to Life Today — Water for Life Outreach at lifetoday.org/give.
