Obituary: Jane Leman Port

Jane Leman Port, née Beer, passed away at the age of 78 on Monday, November 18, 2024 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Her last moments were spent in her home with family and friends.

Jane’s parents were Velma Irene Beer, née Leman, (of Bremen, Indiana) and Walter Omar Beer (of Milford, Indiana). Walter was captured in North Africa and held as a Prisoner of War until the end of World War II. Born on September 12, 1946. Jane was raised on her parents’ dairy farm near Bremen Indiana. She often said she never knew why her parents didn’t teach her about farming, livestock, or kitchen work. She read every book in the Bremen library. She loved music, and learned to play piano and organ, and played woodwinds in the marching band. Sometimes she gave piano lessons to younger students.

In 1970, Jane Beer worked as assistant director of an art gallery located in the defunct Kamm & Schellinger Brewery in Mishawaka, Indiana. The historic brewery had been converted to a commercial space. After bicycling on a hot day, Allan, found the gallery and came in looking for a cold beer, not knowing that Jane was the only Beer there.  She offered him a glass of cold water. He thought she was smart and beautiful. She said he was different from anyone she had ever met. Jane Beer and Allan Port married in the Brewers’ Mansion on that same property about six months later on January 17, 1971. At the wedding reception, the only drinks served were beer and port.

Jane earned a Bachelor of Arts degree Magna cum laude in German from Temple University, a Master of Arts in Art History from Boston University, and a certificate in Museum Studies from Boston University. She worked at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Boston Transportation Museum and later became the curator at Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts. At the MFA, she compiled an extensive database of Boston area metal workers and artist-blacksmiths and contributed to the updated catalog of their silver. A researcher at heart, Jane enjoyed unearthing the details of long forgotten artists and craftspeople, publishing articles and papers on a wide range of decorative artists. As an independent curator she also cataloged and curated several private collections of jewelry and other decorative works, including one collection of jewelry now partially on display at the MFA. Jane also curated several exhibits of decorative arts at Plymouth State University (NH), at Saint Anselm College (NH), and a special exhibit on enamel arts at the Long Beach Museum of Art (CA).

Both Allan and Jane were raised in liberal families that valued democracy and community and were wary of organized religions. While the families had vastly different backgrounds, they shared a deep respect for independent thought, education and integrity. When asked how they would raise their future children (Jewish or Christian), Allan and Jane would say, “To be good people.” They raised two children together, Sarah Jane Port Laberge (born 1982) and Andrew Allan Port (born 1985), alongside many dogs and cats.] They lived in South Bend (IN), Philadelphia (PA), and Tewksbury (MA) before happily settling in Wellesley in 1985.

Jane leaves behind her husband, Allan Port, her son Andrew Port, her daughter and son-in-law Sarah and Francois Laberge, her grandchildren Guy and Sophie Laberge, and her beloved siblings (“the Boys”) and their families: John Beer and Cindy Green, Joe and Jamie Beer, Ardale and Mary Jo Beer, her brother-and sister-in-law Eli and Rebecca Port along with her eight nieces and nephews, and many of her 42 first cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Good Shepherd Community Care and Hospice in Newton, MA. All are welcome at a gathering to remember Jane at her home in early December, please contact the family for details.

Obituaries of current or past Wellesley residents and community members can be sent to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com