Mary Jane Jacobs-Clark

Mary Jane was born in Danville, Pennsylvania, on December 4, 1918, to Navy Vice Admiral Randall Jacobs and Emily Voris Jacobs. As a Naval family, the Jacobs’ traveled extensively, living in such places as Shanghai (where Adm. Jacobs was in charge of the evacuation of the Upper Yangtze River), Long Beach, California (where they survived the earthquake of 1933), and Washington D.C. (where Adm. Jacobs was named Chief of the Bureau of Naval Personnel). Mary Jane attended Gunston Hall, a private school for girls, in Washington D.C.

During World War II, Mary Jane volunteered in the canteens supporting troops in the D.C. area. One of the highlights of Mary Jane’s young life was when she was called upon to christen the submarine USS Clamagore in Washington D.C. in February of 1945.

Later in 1945, the family moved to Seattle when Adm. Jacobs took over command of the 13th Naval District. In 1946, Mary Jane reluctantly followed her parents to Philadelphia where Adm. Jacobs became the Governor of the Naval Home. When she traveled back to Seattle in 1947 to attend a friend’s wedding, she promptly cashed in her round-trip ticket and Seattle became her permanent home.

After a series of secretarial jobs, Mary Jane joined the staff of the Seattle Times in 1953. She penned the weekly society column “Notes… and Notables” until 1970.

Mary Jane married E.B. “Jiggs” Clark on October 7, 1970. They lived together in a home they dubbed “Wistful Vista” in the Highlands for 17 years, and then moved to a fully remodeled cottage in Madison Park. When managing the home and the garden became unworkable, they moved into an apartment at the Horizon House in downtown Seattle. Mary Jane and Jiggs enjoyed traveling (Hawaii, Canada, the Caymans, San Francisco, Paris, London), celebrating holidays with friends, and attending events at the Seattle Tennis Club and the Sunset Club. After 39 happy years of marriage, Jiggs died in 2009.

Mary Jane was truly one-of-a-kind. She took a keen interest in history, politics, and genealogy, and was particularly knowledgeable about and proud of her father’s Naval career. Mary Jane was a prolific writer: keeping journals; documenting her family’s history; and sending note cards to family and friends. She also enjoyed gardening, antiques, and milk chocolate with Lay’s potato chips.

Mary Jane had a special place in her heart for the Hawaiian Islands. She had many fond memories of staying at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu, and she was proud of having met legendary swimmer and surfer Duke Kahanamoku in the 1930s. In accordance with her wishes, a portion of her ashes will be spread on slopes of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii.

In addition to her husband Jiggs, Mary Jane was predeceased by her parents, her brother Randall Jacobs, Jr., her sister-in-law Ellen “Sandy” Jacobs, her nephew Charlie Clark, and many friends. She is survived by nephews and nieces: Randall Jacobs III and Gail Jacobs Tilton of Alaska; Linda Clark Helsell, Joe Clark and Maggie Clark of Seattle; many great nieces and nephews of Seattle; local dear friends Sharon and Emmett Lane, John and Rena Thompson, and Anne Lancaster; and the wonderful staff of Horizon House.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 14, at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Epiphany Parish, 1805 38th Avenue. A tea and cookie reception will follow in the Fireside Room.

Although Mary Jane loved flowers, the family requests instead that she be remembered through donations to the Horizon House employee development fund or the Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation.