Obituary of Mary S. Jaeger

Mary Jaeger passed away peacefully on December 24, 2012 in Hackensack, NJ surrounded by family. Mary was born on September 24, 1948 in Mishawaka, Indiana. She grew up there and was babied by her older brother and sister. She was often found riding her bike around the neighborhood and enjoying the warm weather on the front porch. After graduating from Mishawaka High School, Mary held several jobs in nearby South Bend as a medical secretary, both in a hospital and various physician's offices. She met her husband, Rich, at a Notre Dame mathematics department party. She married in 1972 soon moved to Brooklyn, NY to an apartment in Bay Ridge where she worked several New York office jobs. She soon after moved to the New Jersey suburbs, working at a physician's office there. There, she adopted a stray cat, Buttons, who was found roaming near the highway. She also pursued a hobby of arts and crafts, making wreaths, decorations, and even some afghans. She enjoyed having get-togethers with friends and nights out at the theater. Her two sons, Tim and Dan were born soon after moving to New Providence, New Jersey. Mary spent the remainder of her adult life in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, settling there in 1988 in a house she called home for more than twenty years. Here it became clear that her family was the most important thing in her life. There she raised her two sons, Tim and Dan, for whom she created a warm, loving home. She also raised three laborador retrievers (Kelly, Claudia, and Mona). She kept up her hobby of craftwork, decorating the house with plenty of quilts, candles, and antiques. She was an active member in the schools and would be seen as an active member in PTO meetings, preparing and serving food for the high school football team, and organizing fundraising events for the orchestra. She also served as an assistant with the local election boards. For many years, she served as a tour guide at Hillview Farms, a local fruit orchard known for their apple cider, showing around groups of kids bused in from around the area. One of her greatest passions was cooking. Mary established an impressive collection of cookbooks and would always love experimenting with a new dish. She had a knack for Italian food and always had on hand an ample supply of olive oil and garlic. When the meal was over, she would be found under a blanket watching a classic movie, preferable next to a fire. In early 2012, she was diagnosed with leukemia and began fighting a difficult battle. Along the way, she fought hard, never complaining about pain, discomfort, or inconvenience. Wherever she went, she was an instant hit with the nurses and medical staff and was drawn into many a multi-hour conversation. In lieu of flower please consider donations to Hackensack University Medical Center John Theurer Cancer Center or St. Huberts Animal Welfare Center. Mary is survived by her loving husband, Richard, and her sons, Tim and Dan. Also surviving are her sister, Pauline Scholer (Don) of Carmel, Indiana, and her brother, Tom Knoblock (Trudy) of Oceola, Indiana, and several nieces and nephews.