Obituary of Jane Stewart MacKinlay Himes

Jane Stewart MacKinlay Himes, 82, of State College, PA died peacefully at home on Friday, July 15, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.

Born August 17, 1939 in Everett, PA and raised in McConnellsburg, PA, Jane was the daughter of the late Edgar H. MacKinlay, MD and Helene Brown MacKinlay. Jane is survived by her husband of 53 years, James E. Himes; her four children, Helene Alexandria Bledsoe of Hollidaysburg, PA, Ashley Himes Kranich and her husband, Charles, of State College, PA, Bower Swirles Himes and his wife, Johanna, of Wellesley, MA, and MacKinlay Stewart Himes of State College, PA; her step-son, James E. Himes, Jr. and his wife, Jennifer, of Greensboro, NC; her five granddaughters, Alexandra H. Kranich, Caroline E. Kranich, Katherine A. Himes, Ella P. Himes and Grace S. Himes; her brother, Edgar H. MacKinlay, Jr., and his wife, Julie, of Norfolk, VA, and her four nieces, Phoebe, Vanessa, Alexandra and Charlotte.

Jane was a 1958 graduate of The Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, PA. She attended Northwestern University for two years and then transferred to Penn State University from which she graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

Jane was a remarkable homemaker, a beloved Latin teacher at Kennett High School, Berkeley Preparatory School and Huntingdon Area High School, and an active community volunteer. Jane was a member and officer of the American Association of University Women Huntingdon, PA Branch and served on the Board of Trustees of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. Jane was a member of the Huntingdon and State College Presbyterian churches.

Jane was a beautiful and dignified lady.

An avid reader, Jane was curious, thoughtful, and incredibly hardworking. Her many talents included making the house in which she raised her children a home, entertaining, cooking, gardening, needlepointing, knitting, note-writing and gift-giving.

Jane loved to travel particularly to a beach. She loved music and getting dressed up, dancing with her husband and basking in the sunshine. She was a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates baseball fan with that passion ignited by her beloved father with whom she would listen to games on the radio and fanned by her son, MacKinlay.

Jane lived for her husband, children, grandchildren, friends, and boxer dogs and will be dearly remembered and cherished for how she selflessly devoted herself to them. She worried about them, rooted for them, cared for them, and always, always loved them.

Carrying treasured childhood memories, Jane's connection to McConnellsburg, PA was always very important to her. A graveside memorial service will be held at 11:30 AM on Monday, July 25, 2022 at Union Cemetery in McConnellsburg, PA with the Reverend Paul W. Galey of Mercersburg, PA officiating. Family and friends are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in remembrance of Jane MacKinlay Himes may be made to the Fulton County Medical Center Foundation - https://fcmcpa.org/Gift-of-Tribute.