Obituary of Mary Jane Carpenter

Mary Jane Carpenter, 75, of Millstone Township, passed away Sunday, February 25, 2024 with her loving family by her side.  Mary Jane was born in Newark and was raised alongside her brother, Bill by two loving parents, William and Frances Webb. She had a wonderful childhood with her aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Her family moved to Old Bridge, where she graduated from Madison Central High School in 1966.

Mary Jane married the love of her life, James Carpenter on August 2, 1969, and moved to Ramstein, Germany for two years while James served in the Air Force.  There, they traveled and enjoyed the culture while Mary Jane worked in the library on the base.

Mary Jane returned to Old Bridge in 1971 and along with her husband, they built their first home in 1976. This is where they brought home all three of their daughters; Tara in 1979, Jamie in 1983, and Laura in 1985. They enjoyed these years living next door to Mary Jane’s parents, spending time with her girls, whether it be helping with homework or leading the Girl Scout troop.  You could always find her volunteering at Saint Thomas the Apostle School and Church and running bingo alongside her long-time best friend, Nancy Shamburg.

Mary Jane and James then built their forever home in Millstone in 1994, where they raised their children.  She worked at Johnson and Johnson for almost 30 years, making many lifelong friends along the way.  Mary Jane was the sweetest and would always go out of her way to help others.

After retiring in 2020, she and her husband traveled and spent time with their friends and family. They both loved drinking and making wine, shopping at the base, Costco, and spoiling their 4 granddaughters. Grandma always spent quality time with her girls making each one feel special. Rain, Grace, Makayla, and Taylor will miss her greatly.

Mary Jane was predeceased by her father, Willam Webb. She is survived by her mother, Frances Webb; her husband of fifty-four years, James Carpenter, her daughters Tara Crenshaw and husband, Quaron, Jamie Ascough and husband, Michael, Laura Porch and husband, Jim; her granddaughters, Rain and Grace Crenshaw, Makayla Ascough, and Taylor Porch; and her brother, William Webb and his wife, Stacy.

A visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 11:00 AM Funeral Service at the funeral home on Thursday, February 29, 2024.  Interment will be private.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ronald McDonald House of Central & Northern Jersey, 145 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 or HERE.  For information, directions, or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.