Mary Jane Staples

1949 - 2007

Mary Jane Staples of King of Prussia, Pa., and formerly of Crowley, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007.
Service: Her husband, Jerry, and his family would like to ask you to celebrate the wonderful and giving life of Mary Jane in memorial either in Denver, Colo., with her many family members this Thanksgiving or with family members living in the Northwest in Bozeman, Mont.
Memorials: may be made in celebration of Mary Jane to any foundation that seeks to prevent child abuse or supports the betterment of children.
Mary Jane was born Jan. 19, 1948, in Missoula, Mont., to Arnold and Florence Olson, who preceded her in death. Mary Jane attended Carroll College in Helena, Mont., for two years after graduating from Forsyth High School in Forsyth, Mont. She transferred to the University of Montana in Missoula, where she graduated with a degree in pharmacy in 1971. Mary Jane always said that the best thing to come out of quantitative analysis was her future husband, Jerry.
Mary Jane and Jerry were married May 9, 1970, after being part of the "Griff and the Boys," attending basketball and many other sporting events.
With the birth of her children, it was the beginning of her dual career of being a full-time mother and part-time pharmacist -- raising children, playing clarinet in the Travis Avenue Baptist Church orchestra, learning, teaching and attending calligraphy seminars with her young son, ministering to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary students for many years, participating in Bible camp as a nurse pharmacist, active in her children's school activities, including Jodi's dancing classes and Randy's art classes for many years, which allowed Mary Jane to impact her children as well as many others. Mary Jane continued to encourage her children all through college and into their adult careers. Mary Jane was a consummate student, always learning new and unusual crafts.
Mary Jane supported her husband and his career in significant ways allowing him to learn, travel and move to new positions, which allowed her to acquire five different state pharmacy licenses. Jerry has lost his best friend and "March Madness" partner.
Survivors: Her husband, Jerry of King of Prussia, Pa.; son, Randy of Little Elm; daughter, Jodi of Dallas; her wonderful grandsons, Ethan and Jeremiah, sons of Mary Grace and Randy Staples; her brothers, Arnold Olson of Denver, Colo., and Jim Olson of Charleston, W.Va.; and sister, Cindy Padgett of Parker, Colo.