Mary Jane (Simon) Snow

Mary Jane (Simon) Snow passed from this life on January 6, 2022, to join her late husband Elbert, in their next life together.  Mary Jane was born September 2, 1923, to Lillye Emma (Bottome) Simon and Robert Carl Simon, in her grand-parents’ home at 526 Water Street, in Newburgh, Indiana.

Mary Jane grew up in Newburgh, where she attended elementary school.  She took the trolley from Newburgh to Evansville to attend Bosse High School, where she met future husband Elbert Somers Snow, Jr.; they graduated together in 1941.  After graduation, she attended University of Alabama, and subsequently transferred to then Evansville College, where she became a member of Sigma Kappa Sorority, which later became Chi Omega.  She made many close friendships there that would last her entire life.

During the war years, she went to school, and worked at Schultz’s downtown department store, while Elbert was an Army Air Corps fighter pilot in the China Burma theater.   On one of Elbert’s leaves, the high school sweethearts were married on March 22, 1944, in the Bayard Park Methodist Church.  After the war ended, Elbert’s father (Elbert S. Snow, Sr.), unbeknownst to Mary Jane, drove to Indianapolis to pick up his son, having arrived home from overseas, and brought him home to Evansville.  When Mary Jane heard someone at the front door on Christmas Eve 1945, she opened the door, and to her great surprise, there was Elbert, standing there in full uniform.

After the war, Mary Jane busied herself with creating a home and a bustling household, that would grow to include five kids, while Elbert focused on building the family business, Snow Motors.  They had a great life together, including many wonderful family vacations. Mary Jane was a terrific Mom!  If one of her kids had aspirations for something they wanted to do, she was all about doing everything she could to make that dream come true. 

From when she was a young girl, with her horse “Tony”, and Lady, her beloved German Shephard, Mary Jane loved animals.  Our household always included her many Siamese cats, as well as the dogs that we kids would bring home.  We hope they all met her at the Rainbow Bridge! 

In the late fifties and early sixties Mary Jane and Elbert enjoyed traveling to New York City, where they saw the first Broadway runs of Camelot, Brigadoon, Carousel and many more musicals.  They loved Colonial Williamsburg—traveling there often, and built a Williamsburg garden in the beautiful back yard of their home, complete with a Williamsburg fence that Elbert built, from daughter Penny’s drawings.  The garden, where they tended to a wide variety of flowers, was a continuing project for them both for many years. 

In later years, Mary Jane would go with family or friends to the British Isles, France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece.  She was an archaeology major in college, so she was particularly thrilled to visit Egypt and Kenya.  She took these trips without Elbert, who told her that he got rid of the overseas travel bug in the war years. 

Mary Jane was one of the founders of the first garden club in Evansville, and was active with the Methodist Temple.  Mary Jane and Elbert had many friends, belonged to several bridge clubs, and to Central Turners.   They were married for 52 years, ending only with Elbert’s sudden passing in July, 1996.

Mary Jane, or “Janie” to many, was an avid reader.  She loved Agatha Christie mysteries and historical works.  She was very knowledgeable of the English monarchy and the religions of the world.  She was a fan of “Perry Mason” and many crime dramas.  When we teased her, that when we would come over to watch TV at night with her, after Dad passed away, we “might not feel comfortable there because so many of her books and shows seemed to always involve the demise of someone,” she replied with a grin and glint in her eye:  “that’s right!”.

Mary Jane had a very full life, for which we are all grateful.  She had the gift of years, and made the best of them all!  She was always ready to laugh and smile, and seemed to always be in the thick of everything.  Her attitude was always:  “Let’s go!”  She was always ready for a new adventure! 

Mary Jane is survived by her five children:  Nancy Ann Murray (Don), of Danville, California; Penny MacLeod (Jack), David P. (Joni L., deceased), Robert A. (Vicky), all of Evansville; and Daniel J. of Wildwood, Florida.  She is also survived by grandchildren:  Heather Murray, Jennifer Kopp, Ryan Kopp (Jess), Kelli Seaton (Heath), Sara McGuyer (Louie Meyer), Andrew Snow (Christa), Matthew Snow, Logan Snow, Casey Snow (Alexis), and Caitlin Snow.  She is also survived by great-grandchildren:  Emma and Jake Capeziello, Jade Kopp, Madison Andrews, Caleb Harper, Cameron, Hannah and Caden Seaton, Grant and Skye Snow, Paxton, Leighton and Keaton Bruns, and Gauge Snow.

The family would like to extend their thanks to everyone at Good Samaritan Home for their loving care of Mary Jane over the last eighteen months.  They would also like to extend a warm acknowledgement of their gratitude for the care and friendship of Kim Reine and Kendra Meyer, who were Mary Jane’s caregivers for the last years of her life—their infectious laughter, and smiles were like a tonic to Mary Jane!

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at Boone Funeral Home East Chapel – A Family Tradition Funeral Home, 5330 Washington Avenue with Reverend Ange Relyea officiating. A Live Stream will be available beginning twenty minutes prior to the service time. Please visit www.boonefuneralhome.net, select your loved one’s obituary, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click Live Stream. Entombment will be in Alexander Memorial Park West Mausoleum.

Friends may visit from 10:00 a.m. until service time, Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at Boone Funeral Home East Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: PAAWS at PO Box 115, Newburgh, IN 47629

Condolences may be made to the family online at boonefuneralhome.net

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