Mary Jane Van Buren

Mary Jane
Van Buren

Mary Jane Van Buren died April 6, 2011 at her home in Salt Lake City, Utah. She lived a life full of adventure and learning and died peacefully at the age of 84 with her family nearby.
Mary Jane was born on November 15, 1926 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and adopted at the age of 2 by William and Josephine Rankin. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Central State Teachers College in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and a Master of Arts in English from the University of Wisconsin. She met her first and second husbands Arthur Crowns, Jr. and John Smithback in Wisconsin.
Mary Jane lived in California, where she met her third husband Hildebert Van Buren IV. She also lived in Maebashi, Japan for three years and in Hawaii for 25 years.
After retiring from the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Mary Jane moved to Olympia, Washington to be nearer to her daughters, grand-daughters and friends. Among other activities, she volunteered at SafePlace, a domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy organization and shelter.
Mary Jane is survived by her daughter Jessica Van Buren; daughter Cassandra Van Buren and her husband Keith Cormier; and her grand-daughters Emma and Austen Van Burns, all of Salt Lake City. She was preceded in death by her dear friend Bob Hemphill.
No service will be held. Please consider a donation to the Salt Lake Community College Community Writing Center, The Road Home, Habitat for Humanity, or Best Friends Animal Society.