Mary Jane (Policelli) Arner, age 87, of Brodheadsville, PA, passed away on July 23, 2015 in Montevideo, MN. Mary Jane was born April 22, 1928 in Roseto, PA, where she grew up and graduated from Bangor High School. She married Robert Joseph Arner in 1949 at the Roseto Presbyterian Church. Their first years together were spent in Georgia and Alabama, returning to Pennsylvania in 1953.
She enjoyed singing with the Melodettes (a West End of Monroe County women's chorus) and in the Zion Lutheran choir. She studied hula dancing for a number of years and was active the the West End Women's Club, a service organization.
A large portion of her life energy was devoted to prolific painting, primarily in oils.
She traveled extensively and painted approximately 1500 landscapes, portraits, vignettes, seascapes and marketplaces from life, memory and photography. She participated in many art shows, fundraisers for cancer research and library development, and held many shows at her home studio, the Fresh Air Gallery.
Her culinary adventures, based primarily in Italian cuisine, satisfied the palates of many friends and guests. Some of her favorite dishes were eggplant parmigiano, lobster macaroni and cheese, baked cod and sausages with colored peppers and onions.
She was an avid tennis player, instructor and advocate, having developed the campaign to establish tennis courts at Pleasant Valley High School in Brodheadsville. Through her efforts, countless youth learned to love playing tennis, which she exemplified until just a few years ago. She attended the US Open and the Championships at Wimbledon and loved watching tennis on television. She also took up golf, got a hole-in-one and delighted in the camaraderie of her fellow women golfers.
She loved her family deeply, traveling regularly to Minnesota to visit, and spending generous time among her siblings and their families as well as her own descendants.
Mary Jane is survived by her siblings Anna Drago, Martha Livingston and James Policelli; children Audrey Arner (Richard Handeen), Kurt Arner (June Meyerhoff) and Michelle Arner (Maria Ninno); her grandchildren Daniel Handeen, Malena Handeen (Michael Jacobs), Jitla Arner-Meyerhoff, Angela Arner, and great-grandchildren Hazel Grace Handeen Jacobs, Arlo Clay Handeen Jacobs, Malcolm Robert Ettore Handeen and many other extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents Michael and Rose (Zito) Policelli, her husband Robert and brother Joseph.
A Celebration of Life event will be held in Pennsylvania at a future date for the convenience of family and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions to a non-profit organization of your choice is appreciated, including but not limited to Western Pocono Community Library, American Heart Association, and your local food shelf.