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 Mary Jane Carper, 97, of Leawood, Kansas, passed through death to life eternity on December 27, 2012, while visiting with family in Columbia, SC. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, January 5, 2013, at Second Presbyterian Church, 55th and Oak, Kansas City, Missouri. Mary Jane was born in Hamden, Ohio on May 2, 1915, the only child of Morris Dawson Carothers and Ena Cherry Carothers. The daughter of a railroad man, she lived in several small Ohio and Indiana towns before the family settled for an extended period in Chicago. During her years at Francis W. Parker High School she began to hone her musical and theatrical gifts and on Sundays worked at a local mission house. In 1933 Mary Jane headed for Miami University of Ohio, where she served as president of her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, and was a member of the speaker's bureau and literary society honoraries. She was also active in dramatics and starred in several productions, including a stellar performance as Lady Macbeth. After graduation in 1937 with a major in speech and a minor in psychology, she took a position as director of the children's choirs at Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Illinois.
In June 1941, Mary Jane and Norwood "Chris" Carper, a Captain with Trans Continental and Western Air (later TWA), married and settled in Kansas City. After Chris returned from the war, Mary Jane's attention turned to the most important work of her life: the nurture of her three children; the support of her beloved husband (who went to be with the Lord in 1997); and service to her community and Christ's church.
In addition to creating an idyllic childhood for her children, Mary Jane contributed significantly to the life of the community. She was PTA President at her children's schools (Belinder, Indian Hills, and Shawnee Mission East), served as president of the Philharmonic (Symphony) League, and tutored at Troost Elementary School from 1995 to 2000. At Second Presbyterian, her church home for 70 years, she assisted with the children's choir, served as co-director of the high school youth group, taught Sunday School, was president of the Women's Fellowship, and served as an Elder. Though not as active in recent years, Mary Jane continued to display those virtues that have long defined a life well-lived: faith, hope, and charity.
Mary Jane Carper is survived by a son, James C. Carper (Kathy), of Columbia, S.C.; a daughter, Cherie C. Miles (John), of Rochester, Minn.; a son, John T. Carper (Janie), of Leawood, Kansas; seven grandchildren, Rebecca Steve, Marci Carper, Christopher Miles, John Miles, Jane Banfield Hicks, Greer Carper and Tazewell Carper; and one great grandchild, Lydia Cherry Banfield Hicks. All of us will miss Mary Jane (aka mom/momma/nana), until that happy day when we join her in Christ's eternal Kingdom. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Salvation Army or the Second Presbyterian Church.
Published in Roanoke Times on December 30, 2012
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