Beloved Lenape High School secretary remembered as the soul of the school
During her 61 years at the school, Mary Jane Mullen touched the hearts of countless students, faculty and staff.
MEDFORD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A South Jersey community is mourning the loss of a beloved school employee.
Mary Jane Mullen was injured in a traffic accident while on her way to work in Medford on May 3.
The 79-year-old woman died from her injuries on Sunday.
She graduated from Lenape High School in 1961 and then went to work as a secretary in the school's office.
On Thursday, a heartfelt and emotional eulogy was delivered by her grandson inside St. Mary of the Lakes Church in Medford where hundreds of people came to pay their respects.
"It's very emotional and to see the outpouring of people, it's amazing," said Candice Jacobs, former secretary at Lenape High School.
During her 61 years at Lenape, she touched the hearts of countless students, faculty and staff.
"She'd give hugs and kisses and candy. She gave out candy to everyone," said former Lenape teacher Jodi Schafer.
"She was the face, she was the heartbeat and she was the soul of that school," said former student Joanna Prizzi.
Her hospital room was decorated from top to bottom with get well soon cards and balloons. In one of the last videos taken of her from the hospital, all she could talk about was her love for Lenape.
"I saw her in the hospital before she passed and we talked and we talked. It was powerful and I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to see her one last time in the flesh," said Terrell Person, pastor of Jacob's Chapel AME Church in Mount Laurel.
A GoFundMe page was created with a goal of $50,000 and it's now reached just under that goal. The money will reportedly go to a scholarship fund in her honor.
