Mary Clare Jenks

Beloved Matriarch, Naturalist, and Wit

Mary Clare Jenks passed away peacefully at Hospice of Northwest Ohio at age 90, leaving behind a large and grateful family, many dear friends, and countless wildflowers and birds identified in her wake.

Born in 1934, Mary Clare graduated from New Trier High School in 1952 and went on to earn a B.A. in Psychology from Mount Holyoke College in 1956. She had an exceptionally sharp mind, and wore her intelligence with grace, humor, and quiet confidence.

Mary Clare was the devoted matriarch of the Jenks family and the beloved wife of William Pearson Jenks, her husband of 69 years. Together they raised three children, moved across the world during his Air Force service which included a stint in the Philippines, and in 1969 settled in Toledo, Ohio, where her husband was employed by Owens Corning Fiberglas. Each new city began the same way for Mary Clare, by hosting a dinner party and turning strangers into community.

She is survived by her husband Bill; her brother Stephen Vinson Weidemann, and her children Stephen Marshall Jenks (Elisabeth Clark Jenks) and Deborah Ann Jenks; and her grandchildren, Sarah Jenks Brajtbord (Jonathan Brajtbord), William Pearson Jenks, Catherine Jenks Berro (Travis Berro), Colin Vinson Jenks (Corey Jenks), Ryan Walter Jenks (Ashley Holland), Kate Oakley McDonald (Keegan McDonald), Clare Bogart Groh (Christopher Groh), Benjamin Steven Bogart, and Lucy Straw Bogart.

She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Marshall Brajtbord, Annabelle Brajtbord, Hazel Brajtbord, Rangeley Berro, Abigail Jenks, Jack Jenks, Penn Jenks, Piper Jenks, and Georgia Groh.

Mary Clare was preceded in death by her beloved son, Jeffrey Pearson Jenks.

Mary Clare had a lifelong love of nature and spent decades summering with her family at their cottage on Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. She was an aficionado of wildflowers and an animal lover. As a dedicated zoo volunteer, she famously adopted a baby raccoon which she sometimes brought to her children’s school for show and tell.

A true civic participant, Mary Clare volunteered for many organizations, especially through her involvement in the Junior League. She also had a stint as a substitute teacher in Toledo. She was very musical, singing in her church choir for many years.

Mary Clare was strong but never loud, caring but never needy. She was tough and quick-witted, always spotting life’s ironies and delivering the perfect one-liner. Her humor, insight, and quiet resilience shaped her family and enriched the lives of all who knew her. She will be deeply missed and joyfully remembered.

There will be a memorial service at St. Michael’s in the Hills in October.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio or St. Michael’s in the Hills Episcopal Church, earmarked for the music fund. The family encourages you to honor Mary Clare’s memory by spending time in nature, supporting your local zoo, or hosting a dinner party for people you don’t know well yet.