Obituaries

Mary Jane Barker

Date of Death: October 3, 2018
Viewing/Services:

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Rhome Funeral Home Inc., 1209 Grand Blvd. Monessen where friends will be welcomed on Friday from 10:30 am until Noon, the time of service. 

 

 

Interment will follow in Monongahela Cemetery.

 

 

Obituary:

Mary Jane was born in the Citizens General Hospital in New Kensington, PA on April 12, 1923. She moved to Monessen with her parents, Donald and Caroline Meier Beva. Graduating from Monessen High School in 1941 she went on to Robert Morris Business School in Pittsburgh graduating in 1942. She worked as a secretary for Pittsburgh Steel Co. and was the first secretary of the Mon valley Progress Council. She started her own Secretarial Service and had many businesses in the Mon Valley as her clients. She retired in 1988.

In 1970 she co-founded the Elks Ladies Golf League of Monessen(the first golf league for women in the valley). It is now the Chippeva ladies Golf League. She was a member for 30 years. She was also a member of the Linden hall women's Golf Association. Mary jane was a winner of the Du barry Success Course winning 2 trips to New York and advertised the course for the Richard Hudnut Co. Her story and picture were in many national magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Screen Play, Glamour, etc. Because it was war time she heard from many, many servicemen. She was a member of the RLDS Church in Fayette City, now the Community Church of Christ.

Preceded in death by her husband Albert, three brothers-in-laws- William and Edward Barker and Edmund Henry-three sisters-in-laws- Elizabeth and Betty Barker nd Mary Ellen Henry and a nephew William Barker and niece Kimberly Henry and Mary Jo Barker Zagar who looked after her aunt since 2006 who passed away in December 2017. Another sister-in-law still survives, Cynthia Barker of Belle Vernon.

Mary Jane is also survived by her nieces and nephews who she loved dearly. These include Cynthia(Tom)Richardson of St. Joseph, MO; Deborah(Eric) Skatak of Austin, TX, Mary Beth(Mehren) Ansari of Independence, MO, Edward(Mary)Barker of Waterford, VA.

Keith(Ari) Henry of Tokyo, Japan, David(Debe) Barker of Wichita, KS and her loving companions, Callie and Conner, her beautiful calico cats.

Mary Jane's contagious cheerful smile, quick wit, sharp intelligence and positive outlook will be missed y all!