Honoring the Memory
of Those
We Love

Peacefully passed away on December 1, 2020 at the age of 97. Mary Jane was born in Pittsburgh, PA on February 15, 1923 to Mamie and Charles Reiche; her death is preceded by her parents, her brother, Charles Reiche, sister, Mamie Hein, brother, Robert Reiche, and her younger sibling, William (Bill) Reiche. She graduated from South Hills high school, and remained in a social club for over 70 years that started with high school friends and other women whose husbands were in the armed services. Mary Jane married Edward J. Richey in 1944 while he served in World War II. Eddy and Mary Jane were married for 53 years until his death in 1997. They had two children, Charles (Chuck) Richey who passed away in 1993, and Linda Richey Kauer. Mary Jane is survived by her daughter Linda Kauer (George Kauer), grandson Dennis Edward Kauer, granddaughter Kerrie Jane Kauer (Lauren Rauscher), and great granddaughter Kelsie Jane Kauer. Mary Jane worked in banking over the course of her life, but her most passionate work was to nurture and care for the people in her life that she loved, and she did so with grace and unwavering compassion. Mary Jane and Eddy loved to travel, go dancing, and host their family for dinner on Sundays for meals cooked with love and lots of card games. At the age of 90, she made a new best friend, her great granddaughter Kelsie Jane. For the last 7 years they played dolls and toys, and she nurtured the relationship with dedicated love, imagination, and care. There wasn’t a cookie that Mary Jane met that she didn’t love. In her prime, she baked close to 20 dozen cookies every holiday season. You could often catch her enjoying a few cookies as a favorite late night snack or find a crumb or two next to her favorite book. She was an avid reader and read nightly before bed, enjoying one mystery novel after the other. Mary Jane loved to gamble and play the lottery, promising that any winnings would go to her family. She was also a fierce Words with Friends player and made new friends online throughout her nineties playing this version of Scrabble. She was genuinely sweet, and kind to family and strangers alike, but took inappropriate bursts of laughter when anyone would fall or trip in her sight. Mary Jane had an inexplicable fear of cats and any bug, however, she found great joy in putting handfuls of treats into the mouth of any dog she met. Mary Jane gave to the Humane Society religiously. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the humane society in her honor (Human Animal Rescue, 6926 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 412-345-7300). Mary Jane’s final wishes were to be cremated and have her ashes scattered across her late husband, Eddy’s grave; she did not want a funeral service. She had great faith in God and let her family know on multiple occasions that she was ready to go with God and be reunited with so many loved ones she lost over the course of her full and long life. When it is safe to gather again after the risk of our current COVID pandemic is behind us, we will celebrate her life with family and friends. Arrangements handled by the John F. Slater Funeral Home, Inc., 412-881-4100, 4201 Brownsville Road, Brentwood 15227.