Mary Jane Hartjes

MIDDLETON - Mary Jane Hartjes, age 96, of Middleton, passed away peacefully on the 4th of July 2025; a holiday she always enjoyed celebrating. She was born in Little Chute, Wis., on May 23, 1929, the ninth of ten children.

After graduating from St. John High School in 1947, Mary Jane worked for the Appleton Post Crescent and the Outagamie County Welfare Department. She married Robert (Bob) Hartjes of Little Chute in 1951, and they lived in Stevens Point, Oshkosh and Appleton while starting their family. In 1958, Mary Jane helped her husband establish an independent insurance agency in Little Chute, where they settled down to raise their five children surrounded by extended family and many life-long friends.

Mary Jane stayed home to raise her children until they were all in school, then joined Bob’s insurance practice as bookkeeper. She worked side-by-side with him for the next 16 years while also serving on the school board of St. John Catholic School. Her adventurous spirit led to wide-ranging travel over the years, as well as the early adoption of computers and smartphones. She enjoyed golf, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling and expressing her inner artist through a variety of projects. There are many fond family memories of time spent together at Lake Moshawquit and Fort Myers, Fla. She was known for wearing a smile everywhere she went, for her love of children and animals and for her skills as a seamstress and an inventive household fix-it person.

With all five children living in Dane County, Bob and Mary Jane moved to Middleton in 2003 where she became a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and the Red Cross. She continued to attend daily Mass and was able to be more involved in her grandchildren’s activities. She had a fun- loving and positive outlook on life that she was able to sustain despite recurrent ovarian cancer, memory changes and the loss of Bob last year after 72 years of marriage. Mary Jane attributed her long life to remembering to be silly and healing through laughter-often describing herself as ‘stubborn Dutch’ with a wink. She was a constant source of love, with ever-ready hugs and encouragement. She will be greatly missed.

Mary Jane is survived by her son, Dr. Thomas (Laurie) Hartjes; son, Dr. Bradley (Susan) Hartjes; daughter, Valerie Hartjes; son, Dr. Joel Hartjes; and daughter, Stacey (Mike) Sanders. She is also survived by her 13 grandchildren, Liz Hartjes (Will Monteith) and Julia Hartjes (Ashwin Cadambi), Kristin Hartjes (Jason Breton), Michelle (Ben) Murphy and Jennifer Hartjes (Emilio Rodriguez), Casey Grigg-Hartjes, Tyler (Adrienne) Hartjes and Ellen (Jake) Johnson, and Nicholas, Benjamin, Margaret, Rebecca and Rachel Sanders. She is further survived by seven great-grandchildren, Sophia and Alex Monteith, Ava and Declan Murphy, Sawyer and Maverick Johnson and Willow Hartjes. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; parents, Henry and Nettie (Reynders) Dercks; brothers, Nick, Robert, Thomas, Joseph and James Dercks; an infant sister, Bernice; and sisters, Barbara DeCoster, Gerri Truyman and Bernice Kray.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 7450 University Ave, Middleton, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, with Father Michael Wanta presiding. Visitation will be held at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Wednesday.

The family wishes to thank the outstanding providers of All Saints Memory Care and Agrace HospiceCare for their compassionate care. The family also wishes to thank Dr. Alexis Eastman, the superb nurses and all of the UW Health Geriatric Clinic staff. If desired, donations may be directed to the Agrace Foundation, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Fitchburg, WI 53711.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761