Mary Mowle

Mary Jane Mowle, 80, of West Lafayette, passed away July 6, 2017 at Franciscan St. Elizabeth East Hospital. Her Life Story Mary Jane was born in South Bend, IN to Stanley and Helen Schoen on Oct 15, 1936. Mary Jane graduated with the last class of South Bend Catholic High School (1953). She earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from St. Mary’s College in 1957 and earned a M.A. in Education from the University of Notre Dame in 1961. Mary Jane taught the fourth grade at Alexis Coquillard Elementary School in South Bend, IN for 7 years. She married Frederic J. Mowle on June 22, 1963, at St. Hedwig Church in South Bend, IN. They moved to West Lafayette, IN in 1966 where Fred was a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. In 1975, Mary Jane earned an Education Specialist degree, with an emphasis, on reading from Purdue University. She was initiated into Kappa Delta Pi, an education honorary society. In the 1970’s, Mary Jane was responsible for bringing the Reading is FUNdamental (RIF) project to the Lafayette schools and, in 1978, she received a Salute to Women Award for Community Service in recognition for her work with the RIF project. She held several offices in the Lafayette branch of the American Association of University Women and is a life member of AAUW. Mary Jane’s life work was devoted to raising their three sons. Mary Jane enjoyed participating in the boy’s activities while they attended the Lafayette Catholic Schools and during their years in the Boy Scout program. One of her greatest joys was seeing each boy reach the Eagle Rank in the Boy Scouts. Mary Jane was a very devoted Catholic and active parishioner of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in West Lafayette, IN. She served in various roles including leading the Ladies of Charity ministry for many years. When the children were in school, Mary Jane volunteered in the Gift Shop at St. Elizabeth Hospital. From 1991 to 2001, she was co-manager of the Gift Shop. She continued volunteering, and her husband joined her when he retired in 2002. She gave over 16,000 hours of service volunteering at the hospital. She enjoyed bridge with friends and cruising all over the world in retirement, traveling almost 500 days at sea with her husband of 54 years. Surviving with her husband are her 3 sons: Thomas S. (wife Leslie) of Colorado Springs, CO; Michael J. (wife Laura) of Rochester Hills, MI; and William F. (wife Brenda) of Centennial CO. She also has four grandchildren: Adrien (Kat) Mowle of Jacksonville, FL; Elyse Mowle of College Station, TX; and Ashley and John Mowle of Centennial CO. Friends may call from 10:00 AM until the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM Wednesday July 12 at Church of the Blessed Sacrament in West Lafayette, IN, Fr. Paul Graf officiating. A private family interment service will be held at St. Boniface Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Lafayette Area Catholic Schools Foundation: 2410 S 9th St, Lafayette, IN 47909 Hahn-Groeber Funeral Home is honored to serve the family. Memories and condolences may be left at www.hahngroeberfuneralhome.com