Community leaders praise Jane Golub and her work

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc Schultz

miSci board chairman Tony Farah gives Jane Golub a bouquet of roses in 2016

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NISKAYUNA — Longtime Schenectady-area philanthropist Jane Golub died Tuesday at age 80 after a brief illness.

Many respected and admired her as an educator, or as a co-worker at the Golub family’s supermarket chain or, most of all, as a community activist.

Here are some of the tributes offered Wednesday:

“The entire Price Chopper/Market 32 family is in mourning today over the passing of Jane Golub. Jane has been an important member of our team for generations and has been a vital contributor to our growth and success. More importantly, though, Jane has been our friend, family and role model. She taught us much about caring for our community and making our hometown a better place for all who live here. While we are, obviously, saddened today, we are grateful for having had the opportunity to work with and learn from Jane and we are committed to carrying on her legacy of loving our family and supporting our communities.” — Scott Grimmett, president and CEO, Price Chopper/Market 32

“Jane Golub’s special love and affection for the children and families of the Schenectady Day Nursery was the driving force behind all of the major undertakings of the nursery over the past thirty years. Her passion for the nursery and its mission, her advocacy, and selfless giving of her time, talents, and financial support made her the adoptive mother of all the nursery’s children and a dear friend to staff and its board of directors.” — Diane M. Fisher, director, Schenectady Day Nursery

“Jane was fun to be with and had a terrific sense of humor — she exuded warmth and a genuine concern for others. While her favorite titles were wife, mother and grandmother, she earned the titles of friend and community leader. When Jane committed to someone or to any organization, she didn’t do so lightly, she gave her whole self in providing leadership and support for causes that advance the well-being of people and our community. Jane Golub leaves a tremendous legacy!” — Mark Eagan, president and CEO, Capital Region Chamber

“She was one that always wanted to make the community better and stronger and help people reach their full potential.” — Gary McCarthy, Schenectady mayor

“Jane was a great friend to the untold thousands she helped over the years and to me for nearly three decades. It was, though, at the Help Yourself program we had at SCCC that I saw her most excited. As a third-grade teacher for 23 years, she recognized the need to capture the interests of children at a young age, and her expressions told me we had.” — Roger Hull, former president, Union College

“The number one thing about Jane was her generosity, and a lot of people might hear that word and think about all the financial support Jane and Neil offered to the community. In my world, I will think of her fabulous generosity of spirit and friendship that was so important to me personally. She was a huge presence in everyone’s life who knew her. I am going to miss her so much. She was funny, strong, kind, so big-hearted, my sounding board and cheerleader. I wish I had an iota of her strength and spirit. I am going to miss her so much.” — Carmel Patrick, vice-president of development, MiSci

“Jane had this ability, when she talked to you, there was no one more important to her in the world at that moment.” — Matthew S. Cutler, rabbi, Temple Gates of Heaven

“For a number of years, every three or four months Jane and I would meet for breakfast. It was casual and often talk turned to projects in the community that she and Neil were thinking about or watching out for or totally engaged in. I learned how completely they together exemplified community and leadership. I will miss her and our community will miss her.” — Philip Morris, CEO, Proctors

“I was always struck by how much life and vitality Jane packed into her tiny frame. We worked on projects together probably for close to 30 years and I never heard Jane be anything other than positive, upbeat, enthusiastic and incredibly warm. She was a rare person who found the best way to enjoy life was to give back to others. I was so proud and honored to call Jane my friend.” — Liz Bishop, CBS6 anchor

“I’m very sad to learn of the passing of Jane Golub, who was a wonderful, generous person and a great champion of our local economy and many charitable and community organizations, as well as a longtime educator. Jane leaves a great legacy that has benefited so many in the Capital Region. My deepest condolences to her husband, Neil, daughter Mona, the entire Golub family, and her many friends.” — James Tedisco, state senator, R-Glenville

“Jane was a most awesome mentor and friend. She was so thoughtful. When I started my business she honored the occasion by having a tree planted in Israel. Each time we had a new grandchild, she sent lovely blankets inscribed with their names and dates of birth. We will all miss Jane Golub.” — Joanne M. DeVoe, marketing professional

“All of us at Ellis Medicine send our deepest sympathies to Neil and the entire Golub family upon the loss of Jane. We were fortunate to work alongside Jane, witnessing firsthand her tenacious commitment to her community and making the Capital Region a better place to live for all our residents. Jane, of course, was a tireless advocate for Ellis. She gave generously, not only as a philanthropist together with Neil, but she gave generously in terms of time and vision. The people of our community are the beneficiaries of her commitment to Ellis.” — Paul Milton, president and CEO, Ellis Medicine

“The town of Niskayuna and the Capital Region have lost an icon. Few women have done more for our community than Jane Golub. Her civic leadership was inspirational.” — Denise Murphy McGraw, Niskayuna Town Board member

“Though Jane was a business icon, along with her husband Neil, she is most known for her tireless philanthropy and legacy of kindness. Her experience as a beloved third-grade teacher in Niskayuna led her to form the World of Difference and No Place for Hate programs targeting school bullying. Jane was a champion for women’s health and the health of our community. Without her generosity, Bellevue Woman’s Center in Niskayuna would not be the leading women’s health center that it is today. I remember Jane fondly at the most recent Luck Be a Lady event that she hosted to raise funds for the Foundation for Ellis Medicine. An avid golfer, she encouraged me to begin golfing too, and as was so typical of Jane, though I was attending an event for her, kind as she was, she still took the time to encourage me. I will miss her. Our town will miss her. The Capital Region will miss her.” — Yasmine Syed, Niskayuna town supervisor

“Our community has lost one of its great champions. Today, we honor Jane Golub’s lifetime of service to the community and remember an icon whose out-sized commitment to the Capital Region made this a better place to live. Countless organizations benefited from her resolve to make our world a better place. Ellis was proudly among them. The broad Ellis family, including the thousands of people who receive care here, benefited from Jane’s generosity. Just as important was her engagement in continually improving healthcare for the people of our community. I’ll remember Jane as someone who saw our community as a place where great things were possible for all people. For that, we all thank her.” — Mark Little, chairman, Ellis Medicine board of trustee

“There will only be one Jane Golub. She was a woman who all of us aspired to be like — the epitome of strong, smart and bold for our Girls Inc. girls. She showed us that we could have it all — two fulfilling careers, a marriage of over 50 years to the love of her life, Neil, all while raising a beautiful family. She loved her community and found ways to give back either her time, talent or treasure. Being an elementary school teacher, she loved interacting with our girls and being a guest reader. With Jane and Neil’s passion to end bullying, we fully embraced a zero-tolerance bullying policy and made it our agency’s focus in 2013. The last project we embarked on with Jane was our brand new Albany Center. We proudly display a beautiful sign for the Neil and Jane Golub Independence Lounge, which has huge glass windows that bring in vibrant, natural light — just the same vibrant way Jane Golub would light up any room she walked into. She will be deeply missed by all of us at Girls Inc. and the Capital Region Community.” — Ashley Jeffrey Bouck, executive director, Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region

“Schenectady, the Capital Region and Ellis lost its heart this week. Jane Golub was an icon. I think of her as Ms. Schenectady, Ms. Capital Region — or simply, Ms. Jane. I had the good fortune to work with Jane over many years, to get to know her, to call her a friend. People were drawn to Jane. She was approachable, kind and humble. She gave her heart sincerely and generously. Jane made it her personal mission to broaden access to healthcare for the women of our community, so they could be there for their families and loved ones. She was fierce and fearless. Fierce in her love of her family, her community, her friends, her not-yet-friends and everyone in between. And she was fearless in her encouragement and support, as a philanthropist and as a friend — whether it was sending a quiet note, an uplifting email with her legendary smiley face — or a supper invitation that would come just when you needed it. She taught us how to ‘show up and get it done.’” — Marcy Steiner, vice president/executive director, The Foundation for Ellis Medicine

Also:

Gratitude tempers sadness at loss of Jane Golub, April 18, 2019
Jane Golub funeral scheduled for Tuesday, April 17, 2019
Statement from Neil and Mona Golub on the passing of Jane Golub, April 17, 2019
Images: Jane Golub, philanthropist, passes away, April 17, 2019
See: Neil and Jane Golub’s wedding announcement, June 3, 1963
Philanthropist Jane Golub dies at 80, April 16, 2019

“Jane was my third grade teacher at Hillside Elementary school in Niskayuna. That was back in 1970, so I don’t remember a whole lot, but I do remember her in the way a little girl might — as funny, pretty and smart. Of course, as an 8-year-old, I knew nothing of the woman I would come to know as a co-worker at Price Chopper/Market 32. Jane and I have been trustees of Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation for more than 15 years, and in that time I got to know her as the amazing human being she was. She always made me laugh with her quick wit and storytelling, and at the same time I was in awe of her sense of obligation to the community. There was not an organization requesting support from the foundation that Jane didn’t already know about, and had already given to, in time or other resources. She and Neil have been everywhere it seems, helping everyone. I remember a few times I would ask Jane, ‘Don’t you just want to go home sometimes and lay on the couch with the remote in your hand?’ She’d give me a sideways glance and tell me to shut up — which made me laugh out loud.” — Pam Cerrone, director of community relations, Price Chopper/Market32

“The ADL is truly heartbroken by the loss of Jane Golub. She and her husband Neil were instrumental in starting the first ADL office in the Albany area over 30 years ago. They believed in the importance of using education to fight bias, bigotry and prejudice. Jane made the sacrifice of giving up her lifelong career of teaching third grade to develop the first A World Of Difference Institute curriculum aimed at teaching young people to confront these issues head on. Not only did she assist in writing the curriculum be she convinced the ADL that the curriculum needed to not just be for middle and high school students but with elementary students as well because bias begins at a young age. Through her guidance and tenacity, the curriculum was written and completed in a few months and then quickly approved by the NY State Education Department to be used in schools across the state. Jane will be missed for her caring and compassionate nature as well as her wit, bravery and strong spirit. We send all of our love to Neil, Mona and Ira.” — Beth C. Martinez, education director, ADL Albany

“We are heartbroken at the loss of our best friend, soulmate, wife, mother and grandmother. We will forever miss her fiercely independent style, grace, good humor and love. Jane’s impact on our lives and our community will be impossible to measure. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from so many in our community and beyond who have been touched by her humanity.” — Neil and Mona Golub, husband and daughter of Jane Golub