Jane McCoy Reynolds Prétat

Jane McCoy Reynolds Prétat, lovingly known as "Omi" by her grandchildren and many others whose lives she touched, passed away on January 16, 2026, at the age of 99. Her life was marked by intellectual curiosity, independence, deep compassion, and an enduring devotion to family.

Jane was born in Ogdensburg, NY and grew up in Potsdam. She graduated from Pembroke College where she was the proud Vice President of the Brown University Flying Club, having learned to fly her freshman year at Stephens College in Missouri before transferring to Pembroke.

On July 10, 1948 she married Richard "Dick" Prétat, whom she loved deeply, and in his later years cared for him devotedly until his death in 2010. Together they made their home in Providence and later Portsmouth, RI.

In 1963 Dick and Jane built an idyllic summer home on Hog Island in Narragansett Bay. That island house became a cherished gathering place for family and friends, and Jane spent time there every summer from its founding onward, creating traditions full of music and everlasting memories.

Jane was the beloved mother of Deborah Prétat-Klofski (deceased) and her husband Gűnter Klofski (deceased), Judith (Judy) Prétat Seaman and her husband Avery "Whip" Seaman, and Richard "Rip" Prétat Jr. and his wife Mary Aubart Prétat. She was the proud grandmother of Timothy Oppermann-Klofski and William Klofski, Tripp and Chad Seaman, Noah and Riley Prétat, Chris and Crystal Hanzlik, Jessica DiPietro Cottrell and Rebecca DiPietro, and the great grand-mother of six great grand-children.

Omi was an independent woman far ahead of her time. She embraced healthy eating well before it was fashionable, studied Chinese, and pursued Jungian psychology with depth and dedication. She worked at Meeting Street School, the first school in the country to offer comprehensive services to children with disabilities, and later served as interim director, as needed, of Hamilton House, a senior center in Providence affiliated with the family's church, Central Congregational.

After her 60th birthday, Jane began an extraordinary second chapter of her life. She earned a Master's degree in Psychology from URI and studied at the CG Jung Institute of Boston to become a Jungian Analyst, accomplishments that reflected her belief in continual growth and transformation. She was a published author, and her book Coming to Age: The Croning Years and Late-Life Transformation was translated into more than a dozen languages.

Jane Prétat lived a long rich life. Her legacy endures in the generations she nurtured, the work she shared with the world, and the many lives she touched simply by being herself.

A memorial service will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank https://rifoodbank.org/donate/