Obituary of Mary Jane Kelly

Mary Jane Kelly, age 86, died peacefully surrounded by family, on November 5, 2015 in Saint John, NB, following a brief illness. She was born December 27, 1928 in Gorham, New Hampshire, the youngest child of the late William and Eva (Buck) Slocum. She graduated from Saint Michael’s Academy in Chatham, NB and received her B.Sc degree from Saint Thomas University in 1953. She was also a graduate of St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in the city of Saint John and practiced her profession there for a time, working at both St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Lancaster DVA Hospital. Always interested in Saint Thomas University, she served for a number of years on its Board of Governors. In 1953, Mary Jane married her best friend and love of her life, the Honorable John R. "Jack" Kelly. Married for 62 years, they raised 7 children; four daughters, Catherine A. Knox (Thomas) of St. Stephen, NB, Maureen P. Casey of Hampton, NB, Moira J. Murphy (Michael) of Moncton, NB, and M. Colleen Seaman (Gavin) of Hampton, NB; three sons, Sean J. Kelly (Nancy) of St. Stephen, NB, Brian T. Kelly (Michele) of Ottawa, ON, and Kevin M. Kelly (Sheila) of Ottawa, ON. Mary Jane was a tremendous athlete who enjoyed softball, skiing, curling, salmon fishing on the Miramichi, hiking and all things that kept her outdoors. She loved nature and wildlife, spending many hours engrossed in the non-stop activity at her numerous bird feeders. Competitive by nature, she loved to play cards and maintained the philosophy of "winning at all costs". A more avid Montreal Canadiens hockey fan would be hard to find! Above all, family and friends were Mary Jane’s greatest passion and profound source of pride. Her kitchen was the "hearth" of her home where all were welcomed, embraced, comforted and fed, leaving confident in the knowledge that they were deeply loved. It remained a constant hub of activity and the focal point of all our family gatherings. Mary Jane’s faith was of tremendous importance throughout her life. She remained an active member of the Church serving as a Catechist, an extraordinary minister of communion, a member of the Marriage Preparation team and a long time member of the Catholic Women’s League. Mary Jane remained an ardent supporter of the Catholic Pro Life Movement. In addition to her husband and children, she is survived by 24 grandchildren, one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews. The last surviving member of her immediate family, Mary Jane was predeceased by four sisters, a brother and one grandson. Resting at Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB (634-7424), with visiting hours on Monday, November 9, 2015 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 12:00 PM at Holy Trinity Church, 348 Rockland Road, Saint John, NB with a reception to follow at Brenan’s Reception Centre, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John. Interment will take place at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. For those who wish, remembrances to any charity of the donor’s choice would be appreciated.