Our History
About Jane
Jane Knowlton Lloyd was born at Sharon Hospital on March 19th, 1963 to Jack and Ann Lloyd of Lakeville. She was the fourth of Jack and Ann’s six children. Jane attended Salisbury Central School and Housatonic Valley Regional High School for two years before transferring to Berkshire School
While at Berkshire, she participated in field hockey, cross-country skiing, squash, and lacrosse. She was also a member of The Trail yearbook committee. After graduating from Berkshire in 1981, Jane attended Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. She then moved to Boston and New York City before eventually moving back home to Lakeville. It was there that her passion for gardening blossomed, and after a few years of learning the trade, she started her own business.
In 1997, at the age of 34, Jane was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, Jane's cancer went into remission. While in remission Jane nurtured her gardening business and bought her dream house. With the help of friends and family, she remodeled it to suit her needs and reflect her personality. She became a member of the Salisbury Conservation Committee, the Salisbury Stingers hockey team, WeCanRow-a competitive rowing program for cancer survivors-and volunteered for SWSA.
Unfortunately, in the winter of 2004, Jane's cancer would recur. She fought cancer with both conventional and alternative treatments. With the generosity of a friend and client, Jane took three trips to Hawaii for treatment with a doctor of holistic medicine. The effects of the treatments made it difficult for Jane to run her business and put a financial strain on her. But once again friends came to her aid by helping with her finances which allowed her to stay in her home and meet her financial obligations.
Despite her valiant efforts, Jane died on September 14, 2005. With the help of loyal and tireless friends, Jane was able to leave this world comfortably in the home that she so dearly loved. In her memory, the Jane Lloyd Fund was born to help cancer patients in the way that so many of Jane's friends and community members helped her as she lived with cancer. Jane may no longer be with us, but the grace and courage that she showed in the last years of her life was an inspiration to all who knew her. The Jane Lloyd Fund was established to allow for that spirit to help those in need for perpetuity.
About The Jane Lloyd Fund
On September 14th, 2005 Jane Knowlton Lloyd died peacefully at her home in Lime Rock, Connecticut. In her last two years living with cancer, Jane was unable to work full-time, and the stress of meeting her financial obligations weighed heavily upon her. Fortunately, Jane was blessed with many generous friends who assumed her day-to-day expenses enabling her to live her last days in the peaceful, loving environment of her home with her family and friends by her side.
The Jane Lloyd Fund was established after her death to help families who live or work in the Region One area of the Northwest Corner of Connecticut, who, because of the effects of cancer and its treatment, cannot meet their day-to-day financial obligations. As an endowed fund within Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, The Jane Lloyd Fund helps families maintain a supportive environment at home for cancer patients for many generations to come.
It’s hard to believe how many years have passed since The Jane Lloyd Fund began its mission to help cancer patients day to day. It’s a bittersweet mission…..one that breaks our hearts knowing someone is struggling with a cancer diagnosis and one that gives us such joy knowing we are helping a fellow community member by relieving some of the stress of meeting their financial obligations.
Thanks to the generosity of our communities and in the spirit in which the Fund was established, we’ve come so far since the fund began. Fundraisers such as a lemonade stand, the Kent Mother/Daughter Basketball game, Breakfast with Benefits, the Salisbury School Carnival, the annual clambake, The Harlem Line dance, the Cornwall Consolidated School Walk-A-Thon, Indian Mountain School's Pink Week, The Spring Splash and everything in between all benefiting the Fund has made an immeasurable difference in someone’s life. Whether the donation is to pay a mortgage, a car payment, an electric bill, or for medical expenses for someone in the fight of their life or for someone whose wish it is to depart this world peacefully, it all helps ease some of their financial burdens and worries. We are so proud of all we have accomplished and the numerous families we have helped over the years and will continue to do so for as long as there is a need.
Thank you for your past and continued generosity in the future. You are part of The Jane Lloyd Fund story and we are deeply grateful. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation for their support and guidance over the years.
