Sister Mary Jane, formerly Sister Mary John Baptist, was born in Trenton and was the third child of John and Pauline Veldof. She attended St. Anthony School, Hamilton, and Cathedral High School, Trenton, where she encountered the Sisters of Mercy and was inspired to join the community following her high school graduation.

Sister Mary Jane pursued degrees in history from Georgian Court College (now University), Lakewood, and from the University of Dayton, Ohio, and a degree in administration from Rider University, Lawrenceville.

Her early assignments were in elementary schools in South Plainfield, Sayreville and North Plainfield. In 1971, she was appointed principal in St. James School, Red Bank, followed by an appointment as assistant superintendent for Instruction and Curriculum in Social Concerns for the Diocese and assistant coordinator for the Bicentennial of the Diocese of Paterson. Subsequent assignments included her serving as principal of Sacred Heart School, South Plainfield; directress at St. Mary Academy, Lakewood, and then principal of St. Dominic School, Brick. After serving assignments as principal of schools in Florida and Maryland, she returned to New Jersey as supervisor of the IDEIA-B Services with the Monmouth-Ocean County Educational Services Commission.

A highlight of her years of service was traveling to Russia and Lithuania as part of a Catholic education delegation where she had the opportunity to apply what she had learned from her previous school experiences.

Sister Mary Jane is survived by four brothers and many nieces and nephews and Sisters of Mercy.

Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1645 US Highway 22 West, Watchung, NJ 07069.