Mary Jennifer Crane, 48, of Florence, died in a car accident Sunday, June 5, 2011. She is survived by her husband of over 20 years, Benjamin Carlton Crane, and three sons Ryan Thomas, Corey Buchanan and Ian Hoffhaus Crane; her parents Dr.Ralph V. and Mary V. (Ginny) Green, her brother Damon H. and wife Cathy P. Green, all of Union Grove; Gene and Ann Crane, Dr. Bradley and Genna DeGroote, Anna, Parker and Amy, all of Florence; her cherished Buchanan family of many cousins, two aunts and an uncle.
Mary Jen was born in Paducah, KY, graduated from Grissom High School in Huntsville and the University of North Alabama in Florence. At the age of 16, she began her business career with Parisian Department Store, an association that spanned more than 25 years. She worked in the Huntsville, Pensacola and Florence stores becoming an assistant manager and then Regency Square Store Manager in 1994. She was appreciated by co-workers and customers alike. Her Regency Square Management Team expressed their esteem with this commendation: "Regency Square-108 would like to let you know how much we appreciate everything you do for our store that makes you the best store manager in the company." Having helped guide the transition from Parisian to Belk, in 1996 she was offered the wonderful new challenge of a career in banking and was named Vice President Relationship Development with Bank Independent, a position she held and enjoyed at the time of her death. Mary Jen was an active member of her church and a Sunday School teacher. She was a community leader serving on various committees and boards including the Saint Joseph Regional Catholic School Foundation and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
"A good wife (mother, family member, friend, co-worker) who can find?" Mary Jen was surely such a person, excelling in all her ways, a woman of grace, strength and beauty who lived her life well and influenced others to do so. Her loves were many and enduring; first and always foremost her husband and her boys; her home, the pleasures of homemaking and offering hospitality: reading good books, enjoying beautiful music and arranging lovely flowers; baking cakes and cookies for friends and causes; the beach and the pool; selecting, wrapping and giving gifts; traveling, especially in England and Ireland; her work both in Retail and in banking; her St. Joseph family and her soccer mom friends-players, moms, coaches who could depend on her to be "all in" all the time; her church and Salvation Army activities; her larger family and family occasions-birthdays, holidays, trips; her Buchanan family roots. Someone who knew her well has said, she was "really super in everything she did." "She will be greatly missed by a lot of people."
After a private burial, the memorial service for Mary Jen will be Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Florence with Rev. Mike Pope and Father Andy Sullivan officiating. Visitation will follow in McDowell Hall of the church until 3:30 p.m. Elkins Funeral Home, Florence, is assisting the family.
Memorials may be made to: the First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 415 North Seminary Street, Florence, AL 35630, St. Joseph Regional Catholic School Foundation, 115 Plum Street, Florence, AL 35630, The Salvation Army, 1601 Huntsville Road, Florence, AL 35630, and the Buchanan Scholarship Fund, c/o Mrs. Jan Sturbois, 7714 Charlotte Drive SW, Huntsville, AL 35802.