Mary Jane Blair

October 15, 1932 - April 7, 2019

Mary Jane Blair Jefferson, IA; formerly of Paton, IA Date of Death: April 7, 2019 Funeral services for Mary Jane Blair, 86, of Jefferson, formerly of Paton, will be held at 10:00am Thursday, April 11, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson. Interment will be in the Paton Township Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 4:00 – 7:00pm Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson. Mary Jane Blair – age 86, of Jefferson, Iowa, died on Sunday, April 7, 2019, at Greene County Medical Center, Jefferson, Iowa. The daughter of Thomas and Dorothy Rundle, Mary Jane was born on October 15, 1932, in Paton, Iowa, and graduated from Paton Consolidated School in 1950. On November 26, 1950, she married Lyle L. Blair at the First Presbyterian Church in Paton. They enjoyed nearly 58 years together. After Lyle was discharged from the Marine Corps, they returned to Paton and began farming. Lyle and Mary Jane lived and farmed northeast of Paton from 1957 to 1980, when they moved into the town of Paton. Mary Jane loved to be in the kitchen and was known to cook and bake delicious meals that she loved to share with others. She was known for her hospitality. In 1972 and 1983, Lyle and Mary Jane opened their homes to foreign exchange students from Brazil. Cristina and Claudia became members of the family and continued to keep in touch until her passing. Mary Jane was known as an avid reader, reading most of the books in the Paton Library. If she wasn’t reading, she was sewing or doing embroidery. She enjoyed making quilts for her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Mary Jane was also a life-long member of the Paton Presbyterian Church, and participated in various Bible studies. She cherished the fellowship she had with those groups. In 2010, Mary Jane moved to Jefferson, Iowa. There she volunteered to read to school children with her good friend Mary Jane Fields. She enjoyed sharing her love of books and reading, and the children loved having the “Mary Jane Readers” visit them at school. Surviving Mary Jane are her daughter, Loretta (Brent) Goughnour, of Jefferson, IA, and children Jay (Nikki) Goughnour, Jill (William V) Hayes, Jennifer (Steve) Steinfeldt, and Jeremiah (Jessica) Goughnour; daughter, Lisa (Jack) Fredrickson of Jefferson, IA, and daughters, Laura (Jason) Walker and Cathy Lee Fredrickson; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Cole, and Megan Goughnour; Will VI, Olivia, Sean, and Tobin Hayes; Brooklyn Steinfeldt; Landyn, Lyndsie and Levi Goughnour; Bryce and Blair Walker; brother, Dr. James Rundle of Indianola, IA; sister-in-law, Donna Blair of Jefferson, IA; sister-in-law, Anita Rundle of Americus, GA; and many nieces and nephews. Additional family members that called her Mom and Grandma were George and Laurie Walker of Paton, IA; Grant (Samantha) Walker and daughter Margo; and Audrey Walker, along with Cristina Amaral and Claudia Querioz of Brazil. Those who preceded her in death were her husband Lyle, her parents Thomas and Dorothy Rundle, sister, Shirley Currie and brother Dr. T.J. Rundle. Memorials in Mary Jane’s name may be given to the family. Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson, Iowa 515-386-2171