Mary Jane Buckland, 67, of Morgantown, passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Born June 22, 1957, in Beckley, she was a daughter of Rosemary Jane Neely Boblett, and the late Kenneth Garrett Boblett.
Mary Jane moved to Morgantown in 1978 to attend West Virginia University. She graduated in 1981, 7 months pregnant with her son Joseph. While at WVU, she was a walk-on member of the WVU Women’s Softball team.
She worked at West Virginia University’s Office of Sponsored Programs for over 30 years, retiring in 2016. She oversaw the research framework for some of the greatest and most impactful Mountaineer research of the last 25 years. A devoted Mountaineer, she especially loved the WVU Women’s Basketball team.
She was preceded in death by her beloved partner of 25 years, Marianne Toth.
She is survived by her son, Joseph Garrett Buckland, his wife, Hayley Roycroft-Buckland, and granddaughter Olivia Jane Buckland; her sister, Leah Ann Boblett Adkins and niece Emily Ann Adkins; her brother, Kenneth Donald “Don” Boblett and wife Cheryl; and nieces, Wendy Taylor and husband Wesley, and Tracy Douglas and husband Jeff. She loved her great- nieces and nephews, Sophia and Eva Taylor, and Adam Farrell, as well. She will also be missed by her ex-husband, Jerry Buckland, and his wife Peggy Filios, whose longtime and unlikely friendship was a source of strength and support in the most difficult of times.
Mary Jane is also remembered fondly by her chosen family: Sara and Ian Lunden, and their children, Braeden and Julia; and Kristen and Eric Brough and their children, Kaleb and Xander.
The family will greet friends and family in the Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 19, and from noon until the time of the memorial service at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, with Pastor Larry Buckland officiating.
The family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude for the care and attention she received at the WVU Cancer Institute – Dr. Emma Somers, in particular. Dr. Somers’ care and guidance throughout Mary Jane’s final moments were not only important for Mary Jane, but meant the world to a family dealing with the loss of their matriarch.
www.fredjenkinsfuneralhome.com
