Jane was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1938 and moved to Portsmouth, Virginia as an infant by her parents John and Mabel Ellis. Jane graduated from Great Bridge High School class of '57. She then attended Radford and graduated from the Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy as a Rho Chi scholar. Jane worked as a retail pharmacist in Tidewater for 45 years with Peoples, Revco, and Eckerd/Rite-Aid drug stores. She was a member of the American Pharmacists Association and the Virginia Pharmacist Association.

She was predeceased by her brothers William (Bill) Ellis, Sr., John Ellis, and step father Cliff Parrish and his son Vince (Snoozy). Jane is survived by John Ellis's family of California, her nephews John Ellis (son, Trey), William (Billy) Ellis, Jr., niece Stacy Penman, and the extended families of Pete and Virginia Parker and Kay Parrish.

Jane passed away peacefully in her own home. She has requested no funeral or memorial services.