Mary Jane (McElwee) Barcavage Obituary
On Sunday, May 9th, 2021, the world lost a deeply loved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. On this Mother's Day, the heavens opened, and the Lord reached out and lovingly embraced Mary Jane McElwee-Barcavage into his arms.
She passed peacefully at the age of 78, at her home in Enola, PA, surrounded by her sons and immediate family.
Mary Jane's life was an example of the small-town ordinary, yet quite extraordinary. She was born in the tiny coal mining village of Locust Gap, PA on November 22, 1942 and was literally a coal miner's daughter. She cherished her father, James McElwee, her mother Mildred Gable-McElwee as well as her brothers Edward (Mac), James (Jim), John (Jack) and Ronald (Ron) who all predeceased her.
Her life was one rooted in humility having grown up in modest dwellings as a child in the "Gap". She often spoke about her childhood home with humor and pride. She would often tell stories of the characters who lived there or about using outhouses and washtubs before having indoor plumbing when the family moved to Shamokin, PA. This instilled in Mary Jane an appreciation for every gift life brought to her, big or small.
Like many young girls coming of age in the 50s and 60s, Mary Jane had big dreams that weren't always easy to materialize in those times. She had a brilliant mind and sharp wit and loved a good laugh. Being an avid reader and lover of word games such as Scrabble, her lifelong dream was to finish college and become an English teacher. But as is often the case, life had other plans for her.
Mary Jane eventually graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School in 1960. She excelled in typing and shorthand which led to a job as a secretary at the International Ladies Garment Workers Union in Shamokin, PA. She was eventually swept off her feet in an episode of car cruising in downtown Shamokin by the late Jerome Barcavage - driving a Chevy with his slicked back hair. They married on September 28, 1963 and the union led to her most cherished gifts in life – her 4 sons, Stephen, Eric, Shaun and Ryan.
Mary Jane left her career to devote her life to raising her children and was their fierce earthly guardian angel. Her dedication and devotion to her children helped them achieve success. She always beamed and spoek with pride for each one of them. She ensured they remained in school, cheered them on in sports, greeted them with homemade bake goods after school, and spent hours at the kitchen table to ensure homework was done correctly. Through penny-pinching and vacation savings clubs at the bank, she ensured yearly summer beach vacations for the family and encouraged us to explore the world outside small-town life.
Mary Jane was not only loved in return by her children and extended family, but she was also the "Kool-Aid" mom to the entire neighborhood and truly loved by everyone. She had an open door, open cupboard policy for everyone. No child left her home hungry and any kid seeking shelter was given comfort and a blanket for the night. Anyone who was fortunate enough to cross paths with Mary Jane instantly felt her warmth, generosity, and sincerity. She had a unique way of making everyone feel loved and special.
Over the years her devotion to family blossomed and so did her heart grow to love her daughters-in law, son-in law, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Although she was unimpressed with wealth and earthly possessions, she had a youthful spirit and loved to be dressed to the nines with makeup on, and hair always styled to look her best.
She was often seen around town with her sisters-in-law who became the sisters she never had. She was not afraid of new technology. She embraced the iPhone, computers, and loved to keep contact with friends and family on Facebook.
Mary Jane was proud of her Irish heritage and was a deeply devoted Roman Catholic who prayed the rosary nightly for family and friends.
During her lifetime she worked for her brother Jim's successful business, Mac's Hoagies, and worked part-time for Acme Markets.
While some of her dreams were unfulfilled, her children ensured her devotion did not go unrewarded. She was a lover of travel and especially loved nature and mountain landscapes. Through her children, Mary Jane was able to travel the country and make journeys to Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. She also loved to attend music concerts with her children.
Mary Jane is survived by her four sons; two daughters-in-law Leann and Jennifer; son-in-law Johannes; eight grandchildren including Stesha, Kierstin, Cameron, Michelle, Madison, Cayden, Audrey and Tyler; and four great-grandchildren including Leah, Halle, Avery and Elias.
A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Hope in Coal Township, PA on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:00 AM. She will be laid to rest next to Jerome at a later date at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to her favorite charities: The MPN Research Foundation for people suffering from myeloproliferative disorders http://www.mpnresearchfoundation.org
or
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
May she rest in eternal peace.
