Mary Jane (MacLachlan) Sutherland

Mary Jane Sutherland of Framingham, MA  passed away peacefully on May 24th at MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham, surrounded by her loving daughters.

Mary Jane was predeceased by her loving husband, Robert D. Sutherland in 2020; her parents; Anna and William MacLachlan; her sisters; Amy Cutler and Barbara Farnham, and her nephews; Neil Meakin and Andrew MacLachlan. 

Survived by her sister Joan Meakin and brother William MacLachlan, her son Robert Sutherland Jr. and his wife Kathy and her four daughters: Karen Elias and husband Stephen of Framingham, Carol Sutherland and husband Mark Freeman of Acton, Christine Sutherland and Mary Sutherland  both of Los Angeles, CA ; grandchildren;  Sean and Joseph Sutherland, Daniel Freeman, Joanna and Nicolas Perry and her great grandson Leo, as well as many loving nieces, nephews and close friends.

Mary Jane took great pride in being grandmother to Sean and Joseph Sutherland, Daniel Freeman, Joanna and Nicolas Perry and was over-the-moon for her great grandson Leo. 

Mary Jane was born in Boston Massachusetts.  During her childhood the MacLachlan home was filled with music and at a very young age Mary, along with her talented siblings, would perform on local radio, at USO shows, and events in the Boston area.  Mary Jane graduated from Sacred Heart High in Newton, Class of ‘54 and maintained a close friendship with many of her classmates throughout her days.  

Mary Jane was a natural teacher and aspired to become one, attending Framingham State Teachers College (now known as FSU) until family circumstances required that she enter the workforce.  She started working as an office assistant and in true form, would look back on this unexpected change of course as an “exciting” time in her life.  Little did she know that the excitement was just beginning.  Soon after, she was set up on a date with Bob Sutherland, fell in love and married him in 1956.  Mary Jane and Bob were a joyful, generous and fun-loving couple, enjoying 63 years of marriage until he departed on May 8th of 2020.

Over the course of her life, Mary Jane taught by example; the value of kindness, the reward of being present and the transformative power of laughter.  She and Bob had five children and when they were small, she would take time to playfully dress up and act as waitress for them, taking lunch orders from an improvised list of “specials.”  When her children were all in school full-time, she re-entered the workforce, running the office for Bob at their family business, the Sutherland Foundry, until their retirement.

Mary Jane and Bob both had a great appreciation for the arts.  She brought her love of music into the home with a beautiful voice that could soothe any illness.  She shared an enthusiasm for dance to the point of waltzing her cart down the grocery store aisles (to the embarrassment of her four growing girls).  One of her loveliest qualities was an ability to laugh at herself, but her greatest gift was to lead with love.  Undoubtedly, if you knew Mary Jane, you were touched by her love. Mary Jane (Mom, sister, aunt Nana, Nana nana) will be forever in our hearts and missed by all who were blessed to look into those beautiful, blue loving eyes. 

Viewing hours will be held on Wednesday, June 2nd, from 4 to 8 pm at John Everett Funeral Home, 4 Park St. Natick MA. A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, June 3rd at 10:00 am at St. Linus Church, 119 Hartford St. Natick, MA. 

 Mary Jane and Bob were longtime supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and a memorial fund has been established in their name.  Contributions can be made by calling (800) 213-6584 or using this link:      https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/GiftFunds/GiftFunds?px=7065346&pg=personal&fr_id=39300

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