Mary Jane Harrison

Born on May 12, 1947 in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil, Mary Jane was the daughter of the late Casemiro Carvalho and Betty Brauna Moreira. She spent her early life in São Paulo before coming to the United States, where she went on to build a life and career rooted in caring for others.

Mary Jane earned her LPN from Essex County College and devoted her career to nursing. She worked at St. James Hospital in Newark and took on private duty work before finding what she considered her favorite role, at St. Anne's Villa in Florham Park — a position she cherished for the relationships she built with residents and colleagues alike.

Over the years, Mary Jane made her home in West Orange, Newark, and Union, New Jersey. On June 12, 1971, she married the love of her life, Thomas Harrison.

She was predeceased by her parents and by her sister, Fatima Belwitt. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Harrison; her sons, Mark Harrison, Richard Harrison, and Daniel Harrison; and her brother, Joseph Moreira, along with extended family and the many friends and patients whose lives she touched throughout her nursing career.

Mary Jane received care at the John Theurer Cancer Center. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her memory to the MDS Foundation (mds-foundation.org), which supports research and patients affected by Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

The family also encourages those wishing to honor Mary Jane's memory to consider donating blood or platelets, or registering as a bone marrow donor, through the New York Blood Center (nybc.org) or Be The Match (bethematch.org) — gifts that give patients like Mary Jane more time with the people they love

A Memorial Service will be held at McCracken Funeral Home, 1500 Morris Ave, Union, NJ 07083, US, on September 24, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.