By Meg Hibbert
Contributing Writer
Former Salem physical education teacher and coach Jane Painter has made a gift of $260,000, the largest gift to the Salem Education Foundation in its 40-year-history. Painter died in 2024.
Tommy McDonald, current president of the Salem Education Foundation, said, “This was a pleasant surprise. Jane was a sweet lady and she had kept her gift under wraps.” Painter was a former Education Foundation board member. He added that Painter’s endowment will first earn interest, and then four scholarships will be presented each year.
“The SEF is thrilled to receive this generational gift by our fellow colleague. Her incredible generosity will insure her legacy of helping countless Salem High students, and will endure for decades to come.”
McDonald added the gift will initially help fully fund four other endowments started in memory of other teachers. The foundation parlays funds into scholarships for graduating Salem High School students.
Painter taught and coached at both Andrew Lewis and Salem High School and is credited with making a positive impact on thousands of students in the Salem School System over her 36 years. She also taught driver’s education at both schools.
Friends praised Painter for her involvement with her students, her faith and active membership at First United Methodist Church. She was passionate about her Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, an education sorority, and served as state president and regional vice president. She was a charter member of the local Lambda Chapter, said Martha McClure, one of Painter’s former co-workers.
McClure said Painter’s students remembered her as “being strict but always fair. She was always dedicated to her students and her work.”
Painter’s friend and fellow church member Sheila Barber said Painter was instrumental in developing her church’s “faith journey” prayer group. “She was a good peacemaker,” said Barber, “and had a kind and gentle nature.”
First United Methodist Church Pastor the Rev. Mike Houff said Painter was a key figure in leadership of the church, was a member of the building committee “and was a voice of reason. She listened to all sides of issues.”
Painter was an avid Hokie fan who had season tickets to Virginia Tech football and women’s basketball games, and traveled to many bowl games.
McClure recapped some of Painter’s background, including being born in Pearisburg, Va., where she graduated from high school before earning a B.S. in education from what is now James Madison University and a master’s in education from Radford.
