Mary Jane Hart

Mary Jane Hart died on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, in Oregon City, Oregon, of complications from Cerebral Palsy. Mary Jane, called Jane or Janie by her friends and family, was born at the Billings Deaconess Hospital on September 17, 1936, in Billings, Montana, to Lester Elbert “Bud” and Alice Jane Hart, the oldest of four children. She was born with Cerebral Palsy, due to complications during the delivery. She lived her early childhood on her parents 1800 acre Hereford ranch in Absarokee, Montana. Having two younger brothers so close to her age gave her the determination to keep up with them as she didn’t walk until she was two years old. Dad took them to school in the winter with a team of horses and sled. She spent the summer of 1946 at the Shodair Children's Hospital and came home to a little sister, Lois. She attended school in Rapelje for two years and then went to the Cerebral Palsy School at Eastern Montana College living in foster homes during the week. This was oe of the few times in her life she would stay away from home for an extended period. Her parents would drive 25 miles to meet the bus in Columbus to pick her up. In 1951 she participated in Montana’s first Girls Scout Troop for the physically handicapped and was selected to attend the Girls Scout Camp. She fit into camp life with few special accommodations. One of her teachers read the Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books to her, which was the beginning of her real interest in reading. At 16, she made costume jewelry from kits, greeting and Christmas cards and sold them and gave them as gifts at Christmas. At 19, she met Don Roush, who also had physical disabilities, and she would come to think of him with much love and adoration for the rest of her days. He, however, tragically and mysteriously passed away 6 months later. They only had the opportunity to have one date before his passing. She enjoyed staying with many of her relatives at various times of her life and had many fond memories of those times. She kept a journal of her life and documented many important events. She also kept records of all of her relatives, recording all births, marriages, and deaths and highlights of their lives. She attended the United Evangelical Church in Rapelje from 1951 until 1962, when she was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was actively involved until her death. She was dedicated to studying her scriptures and church magazines and publications almost every day. She and her parents moved to Roberts, Montana, for a short time, and then to Columbus, Montana. They moved to Canby, Oregon, in 1978 and lived there until a year after her father’s death, when they moved to Oregon City in 1999. She lived with her mother at Berry Park Retirement Community and in her sister’s home, Gilman Park Assisted Living, and then Avamere Rehabilitation Center for the last month of her life. Special thanks to the staff at Gilman Park, Avamere, and Bristol Hospice for the loving care they gave and the many people who visited and read to her. Jane is survived by her brothers Lester Arlen and wife (Mary), Raymond Samuel and wife (Peggy), and Lois Harwood, 4 nieces and 4 nephews, 32 great nieces and nephews, and 5 great, great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sweetheart Don Roush, and brother-in-law, Gary William Harwood. Her funeral will be at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 15344 Henrici Road , Oregon City, OR, at 11:00 a.m. on March 3, 2018. The viewing will be at 10:00 a.m. prior to the funeral. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. at the Aurora Community Cemetery, Aurora, Oregon. Canby Funeral Chapel in Canby, Oregon, is in charge of a arrangements.