Mary Jane Lemmer – 95 – of Hornell passed away Thursday morning (June 17, 2021) at her home.
Born on August 14, 1925 in Menomonie, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of Herman and Alice Cramer.
Mary Jane graduated from Lincoln High school and went on to receive her RN degree from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Wausau, Wisconsin in 1946.
She married Dr. Eugene J. Lemmer and moved to Hornell in 1948. She worked with him in his Chiropractic Practice as an office assistant. Mary Jane and Eugene also established the Lemmer Greenhouse in the early 1960s. She began her Hornell career in nursing at the Bethesda Hospital. She continued her nursing at the Hornell Gardens. She retired in 1990.
Mary Jane loved to work in her greenhouse. She enjoyed meeting friends as she shopped at Wal-Mart. She was an avid crafter, dollhouse enthusiast and enjoyed crocheting. She lovingly made over 300 Prayer shawls and donated these to the Prayer Shawl ministry.
She was predeceased by her son Gary in 1957 and her husband in 2004.
Surviving are her daughter Mary Alice Margeson of Hornell; granddaughter Emily Murray (Nick Shirley); grandson Trevor (Chelsea) Miller; three great granddaughters, Onalea, Emory and Addalee Miller; step- daughter Donna (Mike) Slikkers and family of Holland, Michigan; and step- son Stanley Lemmer and family of Tennessee.
Mary Jane’s family would like to thank her devoted caregivers for their many hours of care and companionship. We are grateful for Kathy Miller, Jessica Cabic, Kristi Sheldon, and Corie Teribury for their support as Mary Jane wished to stay in her home.
Honoring Mary Jane’s wishes, there will be no public funeral services or calling hours. A Private memorial will be at a later date.
Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.
As Mary Jane enjoyed animals, please consider making a donation to the Hornell Area Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Rd, Hornell, NY 14843 to honor her.
Mary you will always be remembered for your support of The Salvation Army,RIP
Mary Jane Lemmer was my mother’s closest friend. Lois Jean Goldman and Mary Jane spent every weekday evening from 11 to 1130 pm kabbitzing about everything under the sun, especially all the news and gossip pertaining to Hornell. We, her children, knew better than to call during that time as we would be greeted with a busy signal if we tried. Nothing interfered with that tradition for over 40 years. I see them in my mind catching up with one another reminiscing and updating. I spoke with Mary Jane on occasion throughout the years and she was always fascinating in her breadth of knowledge. To the Lemmer family, I am so sorry for your loss. To Mary Alice, thank you for being such a great friend to my dad and my mom.
My childhood was richer for having Mary Jane Lemmer down the street. Our neighborhood moms were a small group, a trio – Mary Jane, Mary Louise, and Maybelle. All had lost children, which may be why all of them were tolerant and supportive of us kids and our noise, our messes and our schemes. They settled disputes and patched up our scrapes. Mary Jane did all this with a twinkle in her eye and a wry smile. A bandaid administered with the comment ” I think you’ll live.” She was amused by the ideas Mary Alice and I came up with and helped us make some of those ideas become reality. Mary Jane Lemmer was my best friend’s mom, and that makes her passing a milestone I honor. Thank you, Mary Jane, for all you did for me and Mary Alice, for all you put up with from us, and for the times you didn’t tell my mother. It was the best of times.
Prayers for the Family..The Cameron Family