Charles S. and Mary Jane Gannaway Layne Fund was established by Lynchburg native Charlie Layne in April 2024 in honor of his late wife Mary Jane.
Charlie & Mary Jane Layne
Charlie says his wife was “a Latin major at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, teacher, church choir member, Appalachian Trail hiker, and mother of four.”
Their third child was born in 1962 with Down’s Syndrome, and Mary Jane worked tirelessly to establish programs to help families with members who have special needs. She served as president of the Board of the Arc of Central Virginia, was instrumental in founding the LAUREL School, and raised funds and spearheaded the involvement of the Job Corps in expanding the Arc Center.
She and Charlie organized a Cub Scout troop for children with special needs. She was honored by the Lynchburg Academy of Women in 1994 with the Homemaking/Community Service Award. Throughout her life, Mary Jane showed patience, love, and compassion for her family, her church, and individuals with disabilities, and our community is a better place because of her.
The Charles S. and Mary Jane Gannaway Layne Fund is donor-advised, allowing Charlie and his family to recommend grants from the fund to their preferred local nonprofit organizations.