Mary J. Sinclair

Mary Jane Sinclair (nee Vansant) died at the age of 93 on February 17, 2025. She passed away peacefully at home secondary to complications from multiple myeloma. 

“Jane” was born February 13, 1932 in Clinton Missouri to the late Emmet Allen Vansant and Mary Elinor Vansant (nee Howell). She graduated from Clinton High School (Clinton, Missouri) in 1949 and then attended Central Methodist College (Fayette, Missouri). She then moved to Kansas City, taking a job with the Great Lakes Pipe Line Company, where she met her future husband Richard.  They were the first couple to be married in the new Clinton Methodist Church on June 12th, 1955.  The bride, per the Clinton Daily Democrat, “wore a ballerina length gown of white eyelet pique, cut with fitted waist, with v-shaped low neck, edged in seed pearls and a full skirt. From a small half-cap with pearl trim, fell the elbow length veil. Her only ornament was a single strand of pearls and her bouquet was of white daisies.” Daisies continued to be her favorite flower throughout her life.

The newlyweds left for El Toro, California where her husband reported for marine air corps duty after having earned his wings at Corpus Christi.  “Dick and Jane” would go on many adventures and endure good times and bad. They moved around the country per the whims of the Navy and Marines including California and Pensacola Florida. The couple ultimately ended up in Columbus with Dick taking a job at Battelle Memorial Institute. 

They would go on to have 3 sons with Jane the quintessential mom and grandmother.  A great cook, baker, financial planner, socializer, healer, and amazing artist.  She was always pleasant and humble and lived by the golden rule, which she imbued into her children and grandchildren. Her grandchildren enjoyed her generous distributions of desserts (always a cookie to be found at Grandma’s house), abundance of art supplies, dress up clothes, and her gentle spirit.

Over the years she painted and drew many a beautiful scene. She created great pieces from different media, but water color was what she liked best.  Her keen observations of the world around her found their way into her art. She captured beauty in many things, especially in nature, the common street corner, and of course her grandchildren.

After 1995, Dick and Jane enjoyed many years of retirement traveling the four corners of the United States, wintering in Florida, cruising the Caribbean and South Pacific, and doting over grandchildren. Frequent traveling decreased after a diagnosis of multiple myeloma in 2011. Jane bravely battled this disease for over 13 years with never a complaint. Her stoic manner in the face of a bad disease was extraordinary. She found strength in her family, friends, and faith, a parishioner for many years at North Broadway Methodist Church and Bethel Presbyterian Church. Known well to friends in her bridge club and bible study. 

Jane was preceded in death by brother Robert Eugene Vansant. She was survived by loving and devoted husband of 69 years Richard Glenn Sinclair II; brother Carl Allen Vansant (Leslie Eden);  3 sons, Bradley Hiatt (Kathy), Richard Andrew (Mary Ellen), Daniel Scott (Barbara); 6 grandchildren, Richard Sean (Ann), Sarah Jane, Megan Elizabeth, Ellen Almarine, Anneliese, Thomas Montgomery; and  2 great grandchildren Samuel Huang, Alice Mei; as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and great grandnieces and great grandnephews.

Special thanks to the caregivers from Honor Care/Home Instead, the staff at Columbus Oncology, Compassus/Ohio Health Hospice, and the many friends who looked out for her over the years.

Calling hours will be from 2-4 pm with a short Celebration of Life service to follow at 4 pm, Saturday February 22, 2025, at Egan-Ryan Northwest Chapel, 4661 Kenny Road - https://www.egan-ryan.com/northwest. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to the Columbus Museum of Art https://www.columbusmuseum.org/ or Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation https://themmrf.org/ 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary J. Sinclair, please visit our floral store.