Mary Jane Schriner

Mary Jane Schriner, 87, of Olivet, died November 10 after a quick and deadly battle with COVID-19. Mary Jane was born November 8, 1933 in Decatur, Michigan, to Raymond and Mildred (Mead) Ashcraft. She lived on a farm with seven brothers and sisters on the western edge of Fort Custer in Battle Creek, where she attended the Martin school. In 1949, the family relocated to a farm outside of Olivet.
In 1954, she married Newton Delbert Schriner of Peoria, Illinois. The following year, they built their own home where she resided until her death. During that time, Newt and Mary Jane had six children: Vickie Sue (Jim) Ashley, Richard Allen (Carole) Schriner, Micheal Lee (Cheribeth) Schriner, Kenneth Martin (Karen) Schriner, James Kelley (Stacey) Schriner and Timothy Dean (Zada) Schriner.
In 2009, Mary Jane and the family were reunited with her eldest daughter, Nancy (Jay) Hoppe. Nancy told us, “I was found after 56 years, and she loved me. Mom walked with the Lord, and she conquered many hardships because she believed God would help her along the way.” When Nancy brought her four children and 13 grandchildren to the first family reunion, she was shocked to see the size of her family. “I felt so happy that you accepted me,” she said. Of course, it was a gift both mother and daughter had hoped for; proof that their love never faded.
Mary Jane was never one to work only one job. She began her working career as a baby-sitter, caring for the many children who stayed on the farm while their parents worked. She became a prepper in a canning factory. She was a waitress at the Bib and Tuck and line worker at Owens-Illinois. She was employed at St. Regis paper and later became a machine operator at Airway Manufacturing. She worked as a custodian at Olivet Community Schools while at the same time worked as “The Dump Lady” for Walton township and caregiver for Crestview Adult Foster Home (the latter two for more than 20 years). In addition, she baked wedding cakes.
Mary Jane was no stranger to hospitals and survival. In the 1960’s, a car accident nearly took her life; a month later she returned home after surgery for an infection, as a metal hair curler had penetrated her skull. Three times she battled three different types of cancer, and three times she had surgery on other parts of her body- yes, she was tough!
Her daughter Vickie said, “She may have been the Dump Lady but to so many she was Grandma Mary Jane. Her love for people and animals was her ministry; she believed that it was her obligation to greet people with a smile, not complain, and bring a little happiness to others just by being friendly.” Vickie added, “the clients at Crestview knew through her mannerism that Grandma Mary Jane had their best interests at heart, treating them as she treated her own family.”
Mary Jane loved to travel and often took along a few extra kids. She made a point of watching the sporting events of her children and grandchildren and rarely missed their plays, concerts, or recitals. She collected Barbies, piggy banks, and chicken figurines. She was an ambitious baker and made sure the family always had plenty of birthday cakes and Christmas cookies. In addition, she spent time with her grandchildren watching Family Feud and Hallmark movies, picking blueberries, or baking pies. She was a talented seamstress, often opting to make a doll or outfit for a gift instead of buying it.
Mary Jane made sure her family and friends had all the things money could not buy. For many years she shared evening chats with her mother and Grandma Polly (Laverne) Janousek. She was generous, humorous, and compassionate. She made time for many friends (too numerous to name here), and telling jokes about red hair were life-long themes for her and her siblings. Her lightheartedness inspired her youngest son, Tim, to say, “We Gingers had to stick together.” As one granddaughter and her husband wrote to Grandma, “We love you for the ninja star throwing, beer pong playing, gun-shooting, wonderful and beautiful woman that you are.” Another granddaughter called her the glue that held the family together.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Newton (2006); sister Laurie Lorraine Ashcraft; and brothers Donald Edward Ashcraft and Robert Eugene Ashcraft. Her sister, Loretta Mae McGillis, of Olivet, also died from complications due to COVID-19 on November 27, 2020.
She is survived by her brother Raymond Alexander Ashcraft, Jr. of Nashville, Mich.; sister Ruth Ann Phillips of Inverness, Fla.; brother Kenneth Paul Ashcraft of Lansing, Mich.; 45 grandchildren; 51 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
A celebration of Mary Jane’s life will be held later in the spring or summer when people can safely gather outside. Donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or The Shriners Children’s Hospital.
The family asks that readers wear a mask, wash hands often, keep social distancing, and treat COVID-19 as the killer that it is.
To view Mary’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family please visit burkhead-green-kilgo.com.