Maryjane Newberry

Maryjane Newberry died September 15, 2015 as a result of a fatal car accident. We know Maryjane is in heaven with the Lord and her beloved Mary.

Maryjane was born to an Italian father and Polish mother in Morristown, New Jersey on July 30, 1939. She grew up in Morris Plains, attended the Fairleigh Dickinson University Business School, and became a Medical Assistant.

In 1960, Maryjane attended the Army Navy game where by a stroke of luck, she met her life long love, Jim. A wave and a wink is all it took to spark the relationship. Jim and Maryjane were married at the Naval Academy Chapel on June 8, 1963. Jim was commissioned and started his flying career in the US Air Force and later with Delta Airlines.

During their 52-year marriage, Maryjane raised 3 children and was active in a plethora of commitments both in and outside of the home. She worked at the Dallas Apparel Mart managing 2 show rooms. While her husband Jim was flying, she car-pooled the kids to sports, music, and dance. She coached children's soccer and she was active in the PTA. Later she continued her involvement at University events at St. Edward's, Texas A&M, and helped lead the A&M Mother's Club. Meanwhile, she helped maintain a family farm and raise cattle in Bryan, Texas.

Her love of travel started when she was young, taking her first transatlantic flight to Europe when she was 18. Maryjane accompanied Jim on his flights to every major city in the US and Europe. Throughout her husband's career she traveled the world and loved to sail in the Caribbean, Greece, Bermuda, and Tonga. After Jim retired they bought a boat and created their own adventures in Dallas and on Lake Lewisville.

As a devout Catholic she was active in the choir and raised money over 4 decades for countless charities and organizations including Wadley Hospital, St. Rita, All Saints, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton to name a few.
At Wadley Hospital she raised money for Leukemia with the Wadley Woopie, served as the Financial Chairman, and the Decoration Chairman. At St. Rita she was a member of the Welcome Committee and led an annual Spaghetti Dinner themed event. Most recently at St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton, Maryjane led the Lenten Fish Fry kitchen crew for the past 11 years.

Maryjane loved children and over the years adopted 3 families as her own: Thuy Thai and daughter Daphne; Jack and Lisa Theis, and children JT, Jake, Catherine and Christina; Randy and Karen Markum and daughter Paige.

Maryjane is survived by her husband Jim, children Jamie, Nancy and Julie, and grand children, Jenna, Derek, Anneliesa, and Arianna. Maryjane proudly claims all of the children from her adopted families as her own, totaling 10 children that call her Gamme.

Services will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Plano, Texas on September 26, 2015 at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Maryjane Memorial Fund, which will be distributed equally to the charities that she loved. Make checks to Jim Newberry and send to P.O. Box 836782, Richardson, Texas 75083-6782 with the subject line Maryjane Memorial Fund.