Mary Jane Jelden, 75, died, June 12, 2017, with her family by her side in her home state of Florida.

A burial service will be held at the Hildreth Cemetery on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 11am with lunch to follow at Trinity Lutheran Church.

Born March 4, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, Mary Jane lived many passions, chief among them her love of family, adventure, and friends. Known for her fun-spirited, positive, ultra accepting disposition, "MJ" was truly and instantly loved by everyone.

Mary Jane enjoyed anything and everything she could 'create' and would delight her family and friends (sometimes at the expense of her husband) with creative Christmas cards and parties (most recent; her SPAM party to introduce some friends to this unique delicacy).

She graduated from Rich Township High School in Matteson, Illinois and later lived in California, Kansas City, MO and Pompano Beach, FL. It was in Florida that she met a group of friends where she became the ringleader of an inseparable group of woman who loved and cared for her immensely.

She worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines until the airlines fired her for getting married (circa 1962)! She also worked as a Playboy bunny and later a very successful career in the cable industry.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Dean; her daughter Dena and her husband Terry of Parker Colorado and her son David and his wife Mary of North Aurora, Illinois. She was nothing sort of an inspiration to her five grandchildren and was blessed to meet and enjoy time with her first great granddaughter this past year. She was also a loving aunt to her sister's three children and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Mary and Leonard Becker and her sister Sue Leadinghouse.