The moment you met her you were greeted with the most Loving smile and smiling Irish eyes you could ever imagine and you made a lifelong friend. And so it is with profound sadness we must inform you that our beloved wife, mother, “Nanny”, and loving friend, Jane Catherine Cavalcante, 75, of Manassas, Virginia, passed away peacefully into the arms of our Lord at the Adler Center in Aldie, VA on July 20, 2020. She was surrounded by her four children, grandchildren, and most importantly her beloved husband Bob Sr. who remained at her side as he had for 57 years.

Jane, called Janey by her family, was born on December 19, 1944 to John and Mary Kiefaber in Boulevard Hospital in Queens, NY and grew up in northern New Jersey in a large and loving family that stretched from New York to Pennsylvania. Raised with only one younger sister Susan, she was very close to all her many cousins and family in Pennsylvania where she spent many summers.

Shortly after High School she met the Love of her life, Bob Cavalcante Sr. and they were married when she was just 19 years old. They had four children total with the first three, Bobby, Mary, and Cathy, each just 11 months apart (“Irish Triplets” as we were called). She finally took a break and had her fourth and final, Patrick, 22 months later.

Raising four young children in her early twenties was the challenge of her lifetime and she did an amazing job. After numerous other jobs and her children had grown and left home, she worked as a Recreation Activities Assistant at Andover Sub-Acute and Rehab Center in Andover, New Jersey where her mother and mother-in-law were both residents and where she could give them the best Loving care possible. She received many accolades for going above and beyond for her patients and her Loving and compassionate Christian care of the elderly led to her role as the Pastoral Care Counselor, a calling that she embraced with all her heart.

A member of the local Christian Faith Fellowship Church in New Jersey, Jane’s passionate faith and Love of God would help bring so many to the Lord through her faithful witness and Bible Study and it was there she and Bob made many life-long friends. She never stopped bringing people to the Lord and is still bring many beyond her passing.

Any given Saturday morning would find her visiting garage and estate sales and often with one or more of her grandchildren in tow. She and Bob Sr. especially Loved making trips to their favorite place in the world, Lancaster, PA. There they would take in a show at her favorite Sight and Sound Theater and visit all the Amish and antique stores she could find. She would always bring her favorite child, her dog “Sadie Jane” with her as well. All her children teased her that she Loved Sadie the best and she would simply smile that beautiful, impish smile and say “I’ll never tell”; but we all knew her Love for her children and all her family was boundless.

After years of hard work it was finally time for her to retire so she and Bob Sr. left New Jersey and came to live in Manassas, VA with their oldest son and his wife and there she lived in her beautiful home until her passing. She was an avid reader, sometimes reading a book a day and would post scripture each morning for her friends and family to read. Jane never forgot a single birthday or anniversary and was methodical about sending cards and gifts early. She absolutely lived for her family and was a very humble, God fearing, Loving and sometimes sassy woman. She would always take the time to listen and was the voice of reason in our family. Her calm Love, wisdom and counsel always prevailed.

She Loved the holidays and spending any time she could with her family and was an archive of family information. She knew many of the old family stories, and some of the old secrets too, and would Love to sit and tell anyone that would listen.

She remained strong in her Love and faith throughout her final year of illness battling diabetes, PMR, heart failure and pulmonary fibrosis, and her absolute Love of the Lord prevailed even unto the end. She will be always remembered most for her Love… Love of God, Love of Family and especially Love of her beloved husband Bob.

Jane is preceded in death by her parents, John and Mary Kiefaber (both of North Arlington, NJ); and her sister Susan Freeman (of San Francisco, CA).

She is survived by her Loving husband Bob Sr. (of Manassas, VA);, and her children Bob Jr. and Rosana Cavalcante (of Manassas, VA); Mary and Andrew Durkin (of Kearny, NJ); Cathy Cavalcante (of Belleville, NJ); and Patrick Cavalcante (of Lyndhurst, NJ); as well as 15 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren all out of state.

Memorial services will be arranged at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jane’s memory to the Christian Faith Fellowship Church in Franklin, NJ.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerpostfh.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jane Catherine Cavalcante, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.