Jane Matz

TRAVERSE CITY - Jane passed away peacefully on July 1, 2021 at Arbor House. She was born in Pittsburgh, PA on August 30, 1928. She grew up in Ben Avon, PA and graduated from Ben Avon High School in 1946 and then attended Skidmore College, graduating in 1950 as an English major. Jane met John Matz at a family picnic in 1949 and they married in Pittsburgh on March 31, 1951, beginning a happy 70-year marriage. They lived in Philadelphia for 3 years where Jane was employed by publisher John C. Winston Co. before starting a family. They moved to Detroit in 1954 where she was a housewife and mother except for a short period when John started a new business and she was an unpaid and very much appreciated secretary. After the children left home, she and John travelled to the western U.S. rockhounding, seeing many beautiful places and meeting new and interesting people. They also spent a month in New Zealand, two weeks exploring Alaska’s inside passage, took several sailing trips in the Virgin Islands, and made a visit to Churchill, Canada to see the polar bears migrating to Hudson Bay for the winter. Jane had many interests after she and John retired to Traverse City in 1989. She enjoyed camping in Michigan and the western US, gardening, cross country skiing, reading and watercolor painting, at which she became quite proficient. She particularly liked painting the mountains of the west and the woods and winter scenes of Northern Michigan. Her paintings were exhibited in several shows in Traverse City. She was an active member of several rockhound clubs including Michigan Geological and Gemological Society and the Grand Traverse Rock and Mineral Club. Jane is survived by her husband John, daughter Barbara Matz, son John Matz (Terry Griffin), grandson Charlie Matz and sister Virginia Stotz and many nieces and nephews. She will be missed by all. A donation in Jane’s memory can be made to the Grand Traverse Land Conservancy, 3860 N Long Lake Road Suite D, Traverse City, MI 49684 or by visiting their website at: https://www.gtrlc.org/donate/memorial-gift/.

Jane Matz

August 30, 1928 - July 1, 2021