Margaret Jane Chelling

Jane was born, Margaret Jane Chelling, on October 15, 1923 in Rochester, MN and raised in Red Wing, MN. She braved the Minnesota winters and excelled as a student, writer and actor in school plays. She played Lisa Doolittle in My Fair Lady and could still recite lines with a perfect Cockney accent. She carried herself with grace and class and always kept her sense of humor. She was so thrilled when 2023 came, because this year she would have turned 100. She could hardly believe that she was that old.

Jane left Red Wing and drove to California with her family as a young lady. As a member of the Greatest Generation she supported her country’s war effort in World War II working at the Douglas Aircraft Company. In Los Angeles she also became a teacher. Shortly after coming to Los Angeles Jane met a fellow Minnesotan, Edward, a U.S. Army Air Forces bomber crewman, at the Hollywood Palladium. Jane married Ed shortly after the war and was happily married for 56 years and raised a family of six children.

Jane took up bowling in her 70s and became a wonderful bowler and a treasured member of her bowling league. Unbelievably, she was still bowling over one hundred at Del Rio Lanes at age 93.

Jane was an active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for over 50 years. Family and faith were always important to her and when asked where she would like to live if she could live anywhere in the world she said, “where family and friends are.”

Jane has been a treasure to her six children and seven grandchildren. She has been and forever will be our hero and our guiding light. We love you and feel lucky and blessed to have had one of the most remarkable and beautiful women in the world as our mother, grandmother and friend.

A Vigil/Rosary will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Miller Mies Downey Mortuary, 10229 Paramount Blvd, Downey, CA 90241. Viewing for Jane will also be held Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. at Miller Mies Downey Mortuary. A funeral mass will occur Friday, March 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 10727 Downey Ave, Downey, CA 90241. A reception will be held immediately following the funeral at Jane's home.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.millermiesdowneymortuary.com for the Chelling family.