Mary Jane Gaebel

Mary Jane Gaebel Passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 in the comfort of her home. She leaves behind her husband of 51 years, Dr. Richard A. Gaebel, daughter, Caroline, sister, Jesusa Bisiar and many loving nieces and nephews. She also had family in England and Spain. Born in 1922, she was raised and educated in Hong Kong at the Canossian Institute - St. Agnes College, earning a Cambridge Diploma. She was a gifted linguist and spoke several languages, including Cantonese. She was also a professionally trained opera singer and singing remained her passion until the very end. In 1959, she immigrated to the United States and settled in San Francisco where she worked as a secretary for the American Heart Association. She married her husband in September 1959 and resided in Novato for over 40 years. She enjoyed a long career as the office manager of her husband's dental practice in downtown Novato until retiring in 1997. She was a long time member of the Black Point Improvement Club and an avid fund raiser for a number of organizations, including the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society . She was a vivacious, kind hearted and generous person and will be missed by all people who knew her. A rosary will be offered Wednesday March 30 at 7:00 PM at Keaton's Chapel in Novato, 1801 Novato Boulevard and a funeral mass at St Anthony's of Padua church in Novato, 1000 Cambridge St. on March 31, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The National Shrine of Saint Jude, Chicago, IL, the National Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos at www.seelos.org or the American Cancer Society .