Mary Jane Kelly

1951-2017

Mary Jane (Jennings) Kelly passed away on April 7, 2017 at her home in Santa Clarita, CA after a long battle with glioblastoma (brain cancer) complicated by various other health problems. She was born November 15, 1951 in South Boston, MA to John J. and Nora Jennings. Growing up in Irish South Boston, she became an accomplished Irish step dancer, winning competitions in her age group and dancing once for the President of the Irish Republic, Eamon de Valera in Ireland. Mary Jane attended Gate of Heaven High School in South Boston and graduated from Regis College in Weston, MA in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and a minor in Elementary School Education.

On June 30, 1973, she married the love of her life, William Michael Kelly of Yonkers, NY. The couple moved to Lynchburg, VI where Mary Jane taught elementary school in the Campbell County School System at Altavista Elementary School in Altavista and JJ Frey Elementary School in Rustburg. William was employed as a Nuclear Engineer for the Babcock and Wilcox Company. During this stage of her career, she also attended the University of Virginia and received a Master of Education degree in Elementary School Administration in 1980. On January 11, 1984, she gave birth to her son and only child, Christopher Jennings Kelly.

The family moved to Santa Clarita, CA in 1986 where Mary Jane taught for the Saugus Union School District at Sky Blue Mesa and Emblem Elementary Schools. She later became an Assistant Principal at several schools and finally Principal of Plum Canyon Elementary School from July 1, 2004 until her retirement on June 30, 2015. William was employed as an Aerospace Engineer for various companies, currently Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Mary Jane was passionate about education throughout her career ~ the kids always came first. The impact she had on individual students was life-long. A student she had in Altavista Elementary actually came to live with her in Santa Clarita where Mary Jane helped him start his adult life after he graduated from college in Virginia.

Mary Jane also became a prolific quilter. She filled her home and the homes of friends and family with color and warmth, using patterns and colors from places to which she had travelled around the country and the world. These included England, Ireland, France, Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and most of the Hawaiian Islands including her beloved north shore of Kauai. Her last 3 quilt projects were contributions to the Quilts of Valor Foundation (www.QOVF.org). Two of her creations were presented to veterans who served in Afghanistan and Desert Storm. The third will be presented to a life-long friend who served in Vietnam.

Mary Jane was a fanatical Boston Red Sox fan, which made life very interesting for her husband, who is a fanatical New York Yankees fan. All their springs, summers and falls together were filled with scintillating conversation and head-to-head competition no matter who was winning or losing.

She is survived by her husband, Bill; her son, Christopher; daughter-in-law, Dr. Jennifer Kelly; two grandsons: Finn and Connor Kelly of Santa Maria, CA; three sisters Judy Walsh, Joan Jennings, Barbra Itri and one brother Martin Jennings, all of Boston, MA and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She also leaves behind many good friends including all the teachers and principals she has worked with over the years.

After cremation, a Funeral Mass will be held for her at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 21, 2017 at Saint Kateri Catholic Church, 22508 Copper Hill Dr, Santa Clarita, CA 91350. Her remains will then be sent to Boston where she will be laid to rest next to her parents at Blue Hills Cemetery in Braintree, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in her name to the American Brain Tumor Association, 8550 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, IL 60613 (email: info@abta.org; website: www.abta.org; Tel: 773-577-8750; Fax: 773-577-8738). "Maybe we can help conquer this god-awful disease that took her from us so early in life."

Funeral Directors: Crippen's Santa Clarita Burial & Cremation Service. An interactive Memorial Tribute page for Mary Jane can be found at www.CrippenMortuary.com

The Signal, April 15, 2017
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Published on signalscv.com April 15 to April 21, 2017