Mary Jane Dacri

Mary Jane (Horton) Dacri, wife of Francis Dacri, and mother of Christina Dacri Wantz, passed away early on the morning of Sunday, January 19 surrounded by her family at her home in Madison, TN. Jane had endured multiple sclerosis courageously for over 30 years while lovingly cared for by her husband and daughter.

Jane was born in Pittsfield, the daughter of George and Mary Bradley Horton. She grew up in Morningside and attended St. Mary's Grammar School and St. Joseph's High School where she performed in musicals and excelled in art. She continued her art and music studies at Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA. where she also served as class president in both her junior and senior years. Jane studied for many years under the tutelage of local artist, Joseph Jenny, where she learned to paint her beloved Berkshire landscapes. Upon graduating from college, Jane married and moved with her husband Fran, to Madison, TN., a suburb of Nashville.

Jane gazed at the world through artist's eyes and could always find the beautiful in both her physical surroundings and the people around her. She loved the farms, lakes, mountains, hills and rivers of the Berkshires, their changing vibrant seasonal colors. She was an excellent horseback rider and her lifelong passion was painting the horses that she loved. Many of these paintings now grace the Tennessee home of her daughter, Chris.

Jane relished life, finding it easy to smile, laugh, dance and sing, often accompanying her sister, Chris, and brother, George, on summer vacations to Martha's Vineyard, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and making yearly visits to New York City where she enjoyed art museums, opera, dance, the Bronx Zoo and the wonders of Central Park. She reveled in the competition of tennis and golf and was a constant companion and mentor to her daughter Chris who played on the Ole Miss golf team and who twice won the Tennessee Women's Amateur Championship. Jane made friends easily and remained faithful to them throughout her life.

During her last years, Jane was completely disabled with MS. She bore her situation bravely, never feeling sorry for herself and always expressing an interest in the family and friends she loved. Shortly before her death, when asked what had kept her going through these difficult years, she responded by citing the care of her husband, and her ability to "always find something", some story to hear, some song to listen to, some emanation of beauty in the world for her fiercely intense gaze to rest upon.

In addition to her husband and daughter, Jane is survived by her son-in- law Wayne; her grandchildren Anna and Andrew; her brother George Bradley Horton of New York City; her sister Chris Horton Brennan of Cumberland Maine; and, cousins Dave Lamont of Winooski, VT, Carol Sykes of Ft. Myers, FL and, Franklin Sykes of Northport, FL. A celebration of Jane's life will be held this summer. For information email george.horton@archny.org.