Jane Pender Craft

Jane Pender Craft

February 5, 1935- March 23, 2025

Jane Pender Craft, 90, passed away peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, March 23, 2025, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jackson, MS. She was surrounded by her three daughters, Mary, Beth, and Dianne, at the time of her passing.

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Jordan Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Jordan Funeral Home Chapel, with burial to follow at Parkway Cemetery in Kosciusko, MS. Senior Pastor Luke Gardner of First Baptist Church of Kosciusko will officiate.

Born on February 5, 1935, in Kosciusko, MS, Jane married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Craft, on January 17, 1954, and they shared more than 66 wonderful years of marriage before his passing five years ago. Throughout her life, Jane was active in her community and her church, First Baptist Church of Kosciusko. She spent many years involved in the nursery ministry at First Baptist Church of Kosciusko and was a long-time member of the Kosciusko Flower Club. Jane’s love for flowers was well-known—her home was always filled with the vibrant colors and scents of fresh blooms, a true reflection of her Southern spirit.

As a mother, Jane was deeply involved in her daughters’ lives and their extracurricular activities, from band, softball, and basketball to the many clubs they joined. The Craft home was always open for Friday night sleepovers, where Jane created lasting memories for her daughters’ friends. She was a beloved “Nana” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who fondly remember her for her unwavering love and generosity. Saturday mornings at Nana’s house meant breakfast in the den with whatever was requested, accompanied by cartoons and the comforting presence of butter cookies and ice cream. Jane’s home was a place where everyone felt welcome, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew that no request was ever too much for her.

A lifelong sports fan, Jane’s love for basketball was especially strong. She was known for her skills on the court in high school, back when ladies' basketball was played on a half-court. She remained an avid supporter of the MSU Bulldogs and a passionate fan of the MSU Ladies Basketball Team. March Madness was a special time for her, as she loved to watch the games and cheer for her teams.

Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas E. Craft, her parents, Faye and Jake Pender, her sister, Betty Pender Harper, and her brothers, Gerald Pender and Joe Pender, and sister-in-law, Joanne Fiedler.

She is survived by her daughters: Mary Tyler (Toby) of Kosciusko, Beth Kyle (Tim) of Kosciusko, and Dianne Alford (Chip) of Clinton; eight grandchildren: Bradley Tyler (Allison), Brent Tyler (Staci), Craft Tyler (Lindsey), Emily Logan (Ryan), Chad Kyle (Cortni), Chase Dorsey (Mary Grace), Kyle Dorsey (Casey), and Matthew Alford (Morgan); and 12 great-grandchildren: Kayden Tyler, Hayes Tyler, Henson Tyler, Taylor Odom, Skyler Hendrix, Sawyer Logan, Price Logan, Greyson Kyle, Anna Payton Kyle, Finley Nichols, Lane Dorsey, and Kaylee Jo Dorsey. Jane is also survived by her sisters, Jennie Hoover, Bonnie Johnson, and Janice Shields, as well as her sister-in-law, Frances Pender, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Pallbearers will be grandsons, Bradley Tyler, Brent Tyler, Craft Tyler, Chad Kyle, Chase Dorsey, Kyle Dorsey, Matthew Alford, and Ryan Logan.

Honoring Jane as honorary pallbearers are her lifelong friends: Rebecca Doty, Caroline Ritter, Francis Breazeale, Billy & Ellen Pettit, and Billy & Johnnie Tolleson.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

Attala Historical Society
P.O. Box 127
Kosciusko, MS 39090  

First Baptist Church of Kosciusko 
P.O. Box 70 
Kosciusko, MS 39090

Clinton Methodist Church
100 Mt. Salus Rd
Clinton, MS 39056