Jane Elisabeth (Shears) Emerson

Jane Elisabeth (Shears) Emerson, 85 of Divernon, IL died on Friday, May 2, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at Springfield Memorial Hospital after an ongoing battle with cancer. 

She was born on April 2, 1940 in Springfield IL, the daughter of William and Elisabeth (Mayer) Shears.  Jane married Leonard Emerson on November 25, 1960 in Divernon. She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Elisabeth Shears. 

Jane was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.  She was a lifelong resident of Divernon.  She was a stay at home mom while her kids were young and worked with her husband Leonard in the family business, Emerson Press, that was started in 1968 in the garage at their family home and later moved to the square in Divernon.  Jane graduated from Divernon High School in 1958. Jane was the organist at the Divernon Presbyterian Church for over 65 years and served on the board, she was the secretary of the Divernon Public Library Board, and a lifetime member of the Divernon American Legion Auxiliary.   

Jane is survived by her husband Leonard; her five children, Melissa Layton (Jamie Stowers), Stephanie (Doug) McDannald, Brett (Keeley) Emerson, Prentice (Julie Brant), Erika (Mike) Campas; and her brother, Allan (Pat) Shears. 

She has 11 grandchildren, Dan Layton and Joe (Jasmine) Layton, Colton McDannald, Mitchell (Mallory) Emerson, Stephen Emerson, Josh and Everett Stevens, Breanna Williams, Taylor Stevens, Jack (Bailey) Campas and Cameron (Jake) Reid.  She has 3 great granddaughters, Eleyna, Shania and Callie. 

Services will be held at on Friday, May 9, 2025 at Bramley Funeral Home in Divernon located at 150 Reichert Road.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until time of memorial service at 12:00 p.m. with Cameo Manci and Lisa Rigoni officiating.  A dinner following the service will be in the reception hall. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Divernon Public Library, Divernon Fire Department, or Divernon American Legion. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jane Elisabeth (Shears) Emerson, please visit our floral store.