Mary Jane Staton died peacefully Monday, January 22th at home in Coral Gables, FL, age 98. Born August 1, 1919 in Atlanta, GA, she was the daughter of Alexander Erwin Wilson and Evelyn Maude Smith. As a girl in the Depression, she was grateful to have 5 cents a week to buy an ice cream cone. In 1941, she earned a 4-year degree in graphic arts from the Atlanta Art Institute (now the Savannah College of Art and Design), specializing in drawing, fashion, lettering and advertising art. In 1943, she married Albert H. Staton Jr. just as he was called up for duty in World War II. It was the beginning of a peripatetic marriage that would last 72 years, until Albert’s death in 2015, and take them to Arkansas, Tennessee, Utah, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela and Florida. Mary Jane will be remembered for her charm, her deadpan wit, and her impeccable Southern manners. Blessed with an uncanny memory, she loved to recount stories of a century of colorful life ranging from the Model T of her childhood to the Internet (which she embraced with gusto and considerable skill). A devout, lifelong Episcopalian, she was generous, assisting many both inside and outside of her family with their educational and medical needs. She was also a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She is survived by her son Albert III and daughter Jane; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Her beloved son Stuart died in 2013.

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