Mary Jane (Stock) Gardner

Mary Jane Gardner, (nee Stock), 83, passed away November 16, 2024 peacefully at her home. Mary Jane was a warm, beautiful, caring and loving person to all who knew her.  Graciously generous and caring to family, friends and strangers alike.  A deep love for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was certainly something that she was very serious about and would share that deep passion with others or it could easily be seen by the way she lived out her life, especially in tragic and difficult times.  Mary Jane spent countless hours praying and saying the Rosary for all she knew because she said that prayer is powerful and will change lives and circumstances. She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church for over 80 years.  She attended their elementary school and then went on to graduate from St. Mary’s Catholic High School in 1959.  A faithful and active Holy Hour Program participant and member of the church choir for over 50 years.  Mary Jane was a licensed managing beautician where she dedicated 22 years to the residents at The Village of St. Edward’s in Fairlawn so that senior’s living there could look and feel their best. An avid and highly skilled quilter and seamstress, Mary Jane made family members and countless other loved one’s quilts, potholders and table clothes.  One of her greatest joys was to make baby blankets for the newborns of underprivileged families.  Hundreds of them were sown and delivered to Embrace Clinic & Care Center (formerly Akron Pregnancy Services).  Many priests’ vestments were sown and donated as well.  Mary Jane had a love for food, especially baking, cooking it, sharing it, eating it and critiquing it.  Her cooking was deeply appreciated by all who were blessed enough to enjoy it.  Especially our Dad, who wouldn’t bat an eye at raiding the cookie stash, which was hidden somewhere in the house and wiping out a dozen or two cookies in one mighty swoop.  She truly loved sitting around the table with a good meal or dessert and connecting with family and friends, especially around the holidays.  This brought her tremendous joy, especially when any of the grandkids were visiting.  She had a special place in her heart for the little ones. Mary Jane was ultra-competitive when playing cards or Scrabble with family and wouldn’t think twice about putting a good beatdown on the grandkids just so they knew who the Scrabble Queen is.  She always made sure you had a little fun while she was beating you.  She enjoyed a good Jumble and thought nothing of calling one or all of us kids regardless of the time or circumstance to help with a word she is stuck on. Mary Jane was preceded in death by her parents Mathias and Anne Stock and daughter Deborah; She is survived by and married to her loving husband, Tom, for nearly 65 years; sons Tom (Glenda) and Jeff (Bianca); daughter Christina Gardner; grandchildren Aaron Parham, Matt Nida, Brett (Jordan) Nida and Alexandra and Grace Cochrane; great-grandchildren Alexander, Madeline and Audrey Nida; brothers Mike (Peggy) Stock and James (Donna) Stock; sisters Barbara Weigand and Linda Sykes; and numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks to Diana, Sam, Cheryl, and Jen from Traditions Health Hospice for the loving care and support that was given to Mary Jane and our family in immeasurable ways so that we could spend quality time with her in the final days. Love each other well because love conquers all. Mary Jane's Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 22, 2024 at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 204 Sixth St. NW, Barberton. Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery. Calling Hours Thursday from 4-7 p.m. at the Silva-Hostetler Funeral Home, 1199 Wooster Rd. West, Barberton. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Augustine.

To share a memory, send a condolence or view her Video-Gift tribute, please visit www.Silva-Hostetler.com.