Jane Louise LeBars Dembert, age 71, passed away on February 4, 2020, in
Virginia Beach, VA.
Jane was born in Flushing, New York on January 6, 1949 to Rolland and
Nancy LeBars (Fouts). She is predeceased by her parents and former
husband Frank Martino, Jr.
Jane was raised in Garden City, New York, graduating with honors from
Garden City High School, Class of 1967.  She sang in the GCHS concert
choir and was a valuable member of the women’s varsity basketball team (all
5 feet of her). She was a member of the National Honor Society. She was a
lifeguard and the supervisor of the Junior Pool at the nearby Thomas School
of Horsemanship summer camp.
Jane attended the Cathedral of Incarnation, Garden City, NY.  She sang in
the church choir, and she made her debut into society in 1967 at The
Cornelia Cotillion, for her dedicated work with the church.
A math and physics major, Jane graduated from Bucknell University,
Lewisburg, PA in 1971.  She was a member of Delta Zeta sorority.
Choral singing continued as a passion in Jane’s life. In fact, she reached a
real high point when she was a member of a choral group that was invited to
give a concert to President Richard Nixon and the White House.
The arts were dominant in Jane’s life and she embraced them
wholeheartedly. She participated in ballet classes for several years, and
performed in recitals from that. She was devotee of opera and for many
years attended performances in New York City as well as later in Norfolk at
the Harrison Opera House. She loved going to orchestra concerts in Norfolk
and elsewhere beforehand. A favorite place of hers was at Tanglewood in
western Massachusetts, going to Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts there
and dance performances at nearby Jacob’s Pillow.

Jane loved traveling the world, from Europe to China. After marriage to
Mark Dembert, a Bucknell classmate and Navy physician, she first enjoyed
living amidst New Haven, CT and Yale University. Then she spent two
glorious years in the early 1980’s living and traveling in the Philippines.
This opened up many new horizons and lifelong friendships in the Navy for
her. It also served as a springboard at the same time to propel her on to
intensive travel with groups of dear friends to China, India, and Hong Kong.
She spoke with passion about the memories of those trips, for the rest of her
life. She vividly recounted the many snakes which slithered by and
interrupted her golf swing at the Navy course in the Philippines.
Upon returning to the U.S. in 1985, Jane and Mark settled in her beloved
Norfolk, Virginia and she spent the rest of her days in her beautiful home in
the Larchmont neighborhood. Their newborn son Charles (Charlie) came
into the home in 1987, where he was so lovingly raised and supported.
Jane’s passions and commitments were legion and touched so very many
people over the next 35 years. She loved her family and friends, supporting
the arts, her jobs, singing (Norfolk Chamber Group), reading, tennis, and
traveling to Bermuda, the Outer Banks, and elsewhere. She was a devoted
member of local Church of the Messiah for so many years, where she truly
and deeply celebrated her love of the Lord. She was integral to bible study,
Young Life, and fellowship functions. She had fervently dreamed of
becoming an astronaut (or Princess Leia!)
Jane never met a stranger who did not feel welcome in her presence. She
loved the world and the world loved her back.  She made it a point to be
everyone’s friend and never had a discouraging word about a single soul.
Her kindness and thoughtfulness are legendary. Her buoyant, bubbly
personality filled rooms and lives.
Jane held positions within the Boeing Company, Norfolk Naval Station,
Christ and St. Luke’s Church, Norton Capital Management, and The Rotary
Club of Norfolk, Virginia.  In December of 2017, she received the Paul
Harris Award for her long and dedicated service with Norfolk Rotary.
Jane’s last days were spent with her friends and the caring staff
at The Gardens of Virginia Beach.

Jane’s memory will be cherished by her son Charles R. Dembert of Norfolk,
Virginia and her sister Suzanne LeBars of Houston, Texas, as well as by
many loving cousins and her devoted friends who cared for her so tenderly
over the years and–most especially–through her most difficult times.  Her
second marriage to Mark Dembert ended in divorce; they nevertheless
remained good friends for the rest of her life.
Jane will be deeply missed by each and every person she touched.
A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Messiah, 816
Kempsville Road, Chesapeake, VA at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 29. A
small reception will follow.
In honor of Jane’s memory, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made
to: Church of the Messiah, churchofthemessiah.org, (757) 436-2545;
and/or WHRO Public Media, 5200 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA
23508, whro.org, (757) 889-9400; and/or Cancer Care Foundation of
Tidewater, P.O. Box 12693, Norfolk, VA 23541, ccfot.org, (757) 461-8488.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto
all them also that love his appearing.  2 Timothy 4:7&8.