Mary Jane Blanchard

Mary Jane Blanchard of Jacksonville, Florida, passed peacefully surrounded by her family on June 3, 2025. She was born in Lake City, Florida, on July 18, 1954, to Dorothy and J.O. Blanchard. She and her family moved to Jacksonville when she was 11, and she graduated from Wolfson High School in 1972.

She studied at Stetson University and the University of North Florida, receiving degrees in teaching, accounting, and a Master’s in Counseling. However, she was most proud of her time at McAlpin School as a child, near the banks of the Suwannee River, where she made many lifelong friends with whom she stayed in touch for her entire life.

She grew up with her beloved sisters and played with “dozens of cousins,” making so many fond memories of Florida farm life. Mary Jane, or Janie Girl as her daddy called her, was the keeper of family stories, and in many ways, these stories have kept the family close as well.

Many people remember her as a caring and compassionate teacher, and many students stayed in touch with her long after their time in her classroom. As a guidance counselor, she was a champion for children who lacked the resources they needed to feel safe and cared for. She was a fierce advocate for the forgotten or cast aside.

She loved baseball and the UNC Tarheels, but most of all, she loved her grandchildren. She taught them how to bake family recipes and ensured they had plenty of time outdoors on the farm in Suwannee County, where she spent many childhood years.

Mary Jane is survived by her sisters Edith Baas (David) and Mimmie Estes (Curtis), and her nieces and nephews, whom she dearly loved. She also leaves behind her daughter, Jeanette Yates (Mark), and her two grandsons, Michael Yates and Andrew Yates. Though we are saddened, we rejoice that she is no longer suffering.

A memorial service for Mary will be held Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, 4001 Hendricks Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32207 with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation at myasthenia.org.