Mary Jane Nicholson Berkey

• Individual
• Family
• Ancestors
• Descendants
• Relationship
• Timeline
• GEDCOM
• Suggest

Obituary- Berkey, Mary 2

Mary Jane Berkey


ROSSVILLE — Mary Jane Berkey, 87, Rossville, passed away Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004, at Rossville Valley Manor Nurs¬ing Home.
Mary Jane was born Aug. 11, 1917, in Fort Madison, Iowa, the daughter of James and Margaret Borst Nicholson. She attended school in Slaton, Tex¬as, and graduated from Paseo High School in Kansas City.
She attended Columbia College in Columbia, Mo., Julliard School of Music in New York and the American Conserva¬tory of Music in Chicago.
Mary Jane married Don Ber¬key on Nov. 15, 1941. After World War II, they moved to Rossville where she taught piano and vocal music lessons for 37 years.
She was a member of Music Study Club and Minerva Club in Topeka, and Rossville Pres¬byterian Church. She was a judge at statewide high school music competitions for a num¬ber of years, performed with community and church music groups, and was a member of the Rossville Community
Library Board and the St. Mary’s Women Golf Club Board.
Mary Jane and Don traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe and she was an avid reader, bridge player and golfer.
She is survived by her hus¬band of 63 years, Don Berkey; a son and daughter-in-law, Curt and JoAnne Berkey, Rossville; a daughter, Pam Berkey Sibert, Kansas City; seven grandchil¬dren; and seven great¬grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Kevin Bren¬nan Family Funeral Home in Topeka. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Private inurn¬ment will follow in Rossville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Heart of America Hospice, 3715 S.W. 29th St., Suite 20, Topeka, 66614, or to Rossville Community Library, 407 Main, Rossville, Kan. 66833. Online condolences may be sent to
www.kevinbrennanfamily.com