Jane Weinberger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Weinberger
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Weinberger in April 2006
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Rebecca Jane Dalton
March 29, 1918 Milford, Maine, U.S.
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| Died | July 12, 2009 (aged 91) Bar Harbor, Maine, U.S.
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| Occupation | Author and publisher |
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| Children | 2 |
Rebecca Jane Weinberger (born Dalton; March 29, 1918 – July 12, 2009) was an American author and publisher. She was also the wife of Caspar Weinberger, who was the 15th United States Secretary of Defense. Jane Weinberger wrote many books, including more than a dozen for children and young adults.
Contents
Early Life and Service
Rebecca Jane Dalton was born on March 29, 1918, in Milford, Maine. She studied at the University of Maine and later at the Somerville Hospital School of Nursing.
After becoming a nursing instructor, Jane signed up to help the U.S. government during emergencies. She was called to duty when World War II began and became a U.S. Army nurse. In the summer of 1942, she met her future husband, Caspar Weinberger, on a ship heading to Australia. He was a U.S. Army second lieutenant. Interestingly, she had been in the military a few weeks longer than him!
Marriage and Family Life
Just three weeks after their ship arrived in Australia, Jane and Caspar got married in Sydney, Australia. This was in 1942. However, they did not live together until World War II ended. After the war, they moved to San Francisco, which was Caspar Weinberger's hometown. The couple had two children.
Supporting a Political Career
Caspar Weinberger first worked for a law firm in San Francisco. But it was Jane who encouraged him to run for political office. She even worked as his first campaign manager. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1952. He served there for six years, representing an area of San Francisco. Jane stayed very involved in his campaigns.
Caspar Weinberger's career grew during the Nixon and Reagan administrations. Jane moved to Washington D.C. when her husband was appointed to lead the Federal Trade Commission. He later held other important roles, including director of the Office of Management and Budget. He also served as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Caspar Weinberger became the Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan. He held this job for most of Reagan's two terms. In 1987, he resigned from his position. This was because Jane was diagnosed with serious medical conditions, including cancer. She bravely survived her illness.
Author and Publisher
Jane Weinberger started writing and publishing during Reagan's first term. This was while her husband was the Secretary of Defense. She began publishing because of budget cuts made by the Reagan administration. Funding was cut for the Future Scientists Fund. This program allowed students to work with scientists at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, during the summer. Jane Weinberger was a strong supporter of this program.
To raise money for the Future Scientists Fund, Weinberger wrote a children's book called Vim. It was about a lab mouse. She gave all the money from Vim's sales to the FSF. She also worked with her husband on another children's book, Kiltie. This book was about their family dog, Kiltie. Jane wrote the story, and Caspar took the photographs for the book. Caspar even helped to pack, sell, and deliver some of his wife's books.
In 1984, Jane Weinberger started her own publishing company called Windswept House Publishers. The company was named after the Weinberger family home in Somesville, Maine. Jane ran the company from her house. Windswept House first published children's books written by Jane. Later, she expanded it to include children's books by other authors, as well as books for adults. Since it began, the company has published over 120 books, many for young people.
Jane Weinberger was also involved in many other good causes. She was the chairwoman of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. from 1981 to 1986. She also served on the boards of both Amherst College and the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Jane and her husband created a scholarship for students at Mount Desert Island High School. This scholarship helped students who wanted to pursue vocational careers. Jane wrote her last book, Experience the Journey, in 2003. Caspar Weinberger passed away in 2006.
Later Life and Legacy
Jane Weinberger had been in poor health before she had a stroke in July 2009. She passed away at a nursing care facility in Bar Harbor, Maine, on July 12, 2009, at the age of 91. Her ashes were scattered in the gardens of her home in Somesville, Maine. She is remembered by her two children, Arlin Weinberger and Caspar Weinberger, Jr., three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a sister.
