Mary Jane (Janie) Tornquist Scott, born July 10, 1935, passed peacefully on Friday, April 3, 2026.

Mary Jane was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, sister, gifted musician, and lifelong educator. Her creativity, humor, and open-heartedness left indelible traces on all who knew her.

Janie spent her early years in California, where she met the love of her life, Cleve, at College of the Pacific. Janie and Cleve had six children. After moving to Iowa, she completed her Bachelors at Upper Iowa College and taught general music in Fayette and Belle Plaine.

The family moved to Muncie, Indiana, where she and Cleve taught music for the next 30 years. Janie earned her Masters in Music Education at Ball State University and taught at Franklin Middle School, Grissom Elementary, and Wilson Middle School. She was a devoted educator, wanting every child in her care to have the chance to shine. She was a passionate supporter of her community, volunteering through service sororities Tri Kappa and Mu Phi Epsilon.

Janie treasured time with her family and friends, always giving them her fullest attention. She found delight in many places and activities, but especially in watching football, playing bridge, listening to music, boating on the lake, celebrating color and making everything more beautiful.

She is preceded in death by parents Richard Alden Tornquist and Alicia Mary White Tornquist; sons Steven Toren Scott and Hans Thomas Scott.

She is survived by husband Cleve Llewellen Scott; sister Aldene T. Smith; daughter-in-law Brenda Scott (children - Toren and Morgan); son, Stuart Odean Scott (Cynthia Scott: children - Phyneus, Jasmine, Bryanna, Brennan); son, Sjön Alden Scott (Regina Wolf - children Lydia, Jared, Juliane, Benjamin); daughter, Janna Dene’ Scott (Buck Parrish: children - Tatem, David, Thomas); daughter, Heidi Scott Pandolfi (Phil Pandolfi: Nicco, Taia, Olivia); great-grandchildren:

Ian, Bryce, Maxine, Grace, Atticus, Devin, Nathan, Eli, Emilia, Savanna, Gabriella, Penelope.

Memorial services for the family will be held at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City, Michigan, May 11, 2026. Memorial services for the public will be held in Rockville, Indiana at a future date. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Cleve and Jane Scott Music Scholarship Fund through the Parke County Community Foundation, Rockville, Indiana. (https://parkeccf.org/donate/)

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