Jane Wodening, beloved author, naturalist and former resident of Nederland and Rollinsville, died on November 17, 2023, from natural causes.
Jane was born in Western Springs, Illinois, but from an early age, her heart was in Colorado. Jane struggled as a child, feeling different, and out of place. This led her to enjoy the company of animals, particularly dogs, and said she spoke “dog language” sooner than human language. She would later go on to be a writer, and publish 14 books.
Jane married Stan Brakhage in 1957. During their marriage, she was featured in many of his best known films. Brakhage became internationally known as an experimental filmmaker, and the film studies building at the University of Colorado is named after him. Stan and Jane had five children, who spent most of their growing up in Rollinsville. Artists from all over the world visited Jane and Stan. In their early years together, Jane created scrapbooks with memories of their friends (many of whom would later become famous) and places they visited. Jane was approached by the Bienecke Library at Yale University, which purchased and digitized the scrapbooks in their special collections area.
Jane and Stan divorced in 1987. As recorded in her book Driveabout, Jane spent the next several years driving all over the United States, and the book describes her adventures and the friends she met along the way. Then she purchased a piece of land in the 4th of July Canyon near Nederland, and built a small cabin. She lived in the cabin at 10,000 feet, year-round, for 10 years, without electricity or running water. She became a ham radio communicator and learned Morse Code from fellow enthusiasts at Bob’s Bakery in Nederland. She told stories of this time in her book Living Up There, which was probably her best-selling book after Lump Gulch Tales. She would later make an audiobook of Living Up There.
After 10 years in the canyon, Jane met Carlos Seegmiller, who helped her move into a house in Denver, where she lived until her death. She continued writing throughout the rest of her life, and also maintained her interests in hiking, mushroom hunting, clowning in parades, playing the recorder, crocheting and quilting, gardening, raising chickens and goats. Her books are available at JaneWodening.com.
Jane is survived by her children Myrrena Schwegmann, Crystal Brakhage, Neowyn Bartek, Bear Brakhage and Rarc Brakhage, as well as 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Her cousin, Betsy Buck, lives in Nederland.
