Mary Jane Henry

Mary Jane Henry passed into God's glory on July 20, 2016, at the Denver Hospice. She was born on November 18, 1919, and her parents were Vida Ruth Kelly and U.S. Congressman Clyde Kelly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Rep. Kelly was known as the ""Father of the Air Mail"" for legislation that allowed the U.S. mail to be carried by private airlines.) Mary Jane grew up in Washington, D.C., the second of four daughters. She was admitted into the Daughters of the American Revolution by tracing Revolutionary War ancestry through both of her parents. She served as a secretary at the U.S. Embassy in London during World War II, where she once took dictation from visiting First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In London, Mary Jane met and married Lawrence M. Henry, a U.S. Army captain from Denver. After the war, they both returned to the United States and raised five children in east Denver. Mary Jane was a devoted mother, cheerfully performing all the necessary tasks of cooking, cleaning, ironing school uniforms, and much more. She thrived on giving her children experiences that enriched their lives: trips to the symphony and ballet, picnics in the mountains, and concerts in City Park while watching the incredible ""Colored Fountain."" Mary Jane supported her husband during his long career in law and politics as a state legislator, chairman of the Denver Democratic Party, manager of the Colorado presidential campaign for John F. Kennedy in 1960, and United States Attorney for Colorado under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. According to family lore, JFK mentioned a few times how great the scrambled eggs were that she cooked for him and campaign advisers at the family home! She was active in the Denver Symphony Guild and loved to travel. Later in life, she actively participated in Galilee Baptist Church in Denver, serving for many years as a deaconess, a member of the Women's Missionary Fellowship, and class president of the Lydians Sunday school class. Mary Jane was predeceased by her parents; her sisters, Clydie Kelly and Ruth Rutter; her half-brothers, William and Merrill Clementson; and her beloved husband, Lawrence, to whom she was married for almost 60 years. She is survived by her sister Hilda Offutt; her children: Michael Henry of Denver; Kevin Ann Oltjenbruns (Ken) of Fort Collins, CO; Christine Harlan (Mark) of Duncanville, TX; Kelly Henry (Laurel) of Arvada, CO; and Mary Williams (David) of Aurora, CO; ten grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Mary Jane will be missed by all of us who have been touched by her love and kindness, and her love of God and His creation (especially butterflies)! It is comforting to know she is now with her Lord Jesus in eternal Glory, free from pain, back with her husband and so many dear friends who have gone before. Funeral service will be at Galilee Baptist Church, 1091 S. Parker Road, Denver, CO 80231, at 11 AM Tuesday, July 26, 2016, followed by a reception. She loved all things bright and beautiful, colorful and sparkly. Years ago, she made a sincere request that everyone attending her funeral wear bright colors and sparkles! Charitable contributions in memory of Mary Jane can be made to the Denver Rescue Mission, 6100 Smith Road, Denver, CO 80216; the Galilee Baptist Church missionary fund, 1091 S. Parker Road, Denver, CO 80231; or the Denver Hospice, 501 S. Cherry Street, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80246. The family expresses appreciation to the staff of MorningStar at Dayton Place Senior Living Community for the loving care they gave her over the past ten years. Please share condolences by signing the guestbook.