Mary Jane Thompson

Mary Jane Thompson age 96 passed away at her home on October 21st.  Loved ones were praying and singing with her hours prior.

She is survived by three of her four children Carol Heald of Albuquerque New Mexico, Tom Kluberton of Talkeetna Alaska, and Mary Kate Nava of Decatur Texas and their respective spouses Jerry, Tracy (Hobbs) and Tom Hoverson.

She was grandmother to to Dr. Michael McCarthy of San Diego, Kevin McCarthy of Austin Texas, Brian McCarthy of Albuquerque New Mexico  Dr Anne McCarthy of Wakefield Nebraska, Airon Kluberton of Talkeetna Alaska, Joe Kluberton of  Lander, Wyoming and Candace Byrne of Juneau Alaska, Francisco Nava of San Francisco, Pablo Nava of Frisco Texas, Blair Bozarth of Hillsboro Oregon, Kelly Thompson of Goodrich Michigan, and John Brandt Kluberton Jr of Covington, Washington.  Great-grandchildren are Kayla, Micah, Thomas, Cara,  Lauren, Connor, Ian, Juliana, Dayten, Ella, Brendan, Gabriella, Chloe, Ronan, Claire,  Donnacha, Leo, and Oscar. She was a loving aunt to Jane Solomon and Anne Corsano, and delighted in their children Cecilia, Mickey, Henry, and Samantha.

She was predeceased by her parents Frank R and Regina A Grim of Milwaukee Wisconsin, sister Carol Arries, of Northfield Illinois, and her son John Brant Kluberton, of Yakima Washington. 

She had met Raymond Kluberton at the University of Wisconsin, and married shortly after graduation, moving with him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he pursued a career as a chemist with DuPont.  Four children were born there, in the next ten years.  Lots of fun ensued in the following years.  Trips to lakes in Wisconsin, the Jersey shore in the summers, boating in the Poconos, carnivals and fundraisers held at home, plenty of dogs, pets, Boy and Girl Scout activities, music lessons, game sessions,  teaching the kids to cook, sew, and adventure outside from dawn to dinner time.

After a transfer to duPont in Burlingame they resided in San Mateo.

A resident of the Baywood neighborhood in San Mateo for 54 years, she was employed in the counseling office at Aragon high School where she forged long lasting friendships.  Jane was an avid bridge player and participant in book club with the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority alumni group.  

She was a generous, welcoming hostess to the Thetas, and others.  A  proud recipient of the Theta 75-year alumnae association award, and recalled the words to all the favorite anthems.

At St Bartholomew’s Parish she had been a volunteer for St Vincent de Paul and  an avid parishioner.

In 1978 she met and married Dr Richard Claire Thompson, a Baywood neighbor and father of three. Carol Wren, Richard M Thompson, and Susan Thompson.  They soon married, and enjoyed twenty two years of laughter, travel and cheer with good friends.

She was an attentive and doting grandmother, always presenting visitors with rhubarb pies from her own rhubarb patch, her outstanding chocolate chip cookies, or delectable nibbling treat, “puppy chow” made of peanut butter and chocolate over crunchy cereal.

Jane was a great fan of music particularly of the 40s in that her father and sister were musical prodigies, and there was always music in the home, as she grew up, with her mother singing to accompany her father, who was an orchestra leader on the North shore of lake Michigan.  She knew the lyrics to thousands of songs, which only rivaled her archive of thousands of jokes and stories.

As her parents grew more elderly and requiring assistance, Jane was selfless and tireless in offering assistance. As her parents moved from Wisconsin to Tucson to Philadelphia then to California, Jane was always on hand to make a new place feel like home with fresh paint, wallpaper, and a cupboard full of groceries and homemade treats.

She and Dick traveled extensively visiting children and grandchildren from Alaska to Tortola.

They were particularly fond of being in Mexico together where Jane’s daughter Kate lived and worked on the beautiful Pacific Coast.

A lifelong member of the Coyote point yacht club, Jane may have been less than enthusiastic about sailing which she referred to as 90% boredom and 10% terror.

She was an avid bridge player and forged many friendships across the bridge table.

As a volunteer with St. Vincent de Paul, she met fellow volunteer Pat O’Neil, a St. Bart’s parishioner as well, and took up volunteer work as a pair.  Pat navigated and took notes, as Jane would interview applicants for assistance in her best Spanish.

She and Pat traveled frequently.  She particularly liked being on a cruise ship in the company of her charming gentleman friend Pat.

She was pleased to be readily accepted by Pat’s daughters Eileen Hinch, Kathy Childs, and Patty Burgei and their brother Tom O’Neil.

In her loneliness after Pat’s death she was lucky to find loving and terrific helpers in Ben and Dolores.  Cyndi, and lovely Daisy brought joy to her on weekends.

In her final chapter she was well attended to by Mission Hospice, and their gentle caregivers and aides.

After cremation, a private interment of cremains is scheduled.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Mission Hospice or St. Vincent de Paul, or say a prayer and plant roses or rhubarb in her honor.