Mary Jane WEFLEN

1959 - 2017  (58 years)

• Name	Mary Jane WEFLEN
  Birth	7 May 1959	Dakota County, Minnesota
  Gender	Female
  Death	3 Nov 2017	Ramsey County, Minnesota
  Notes	Mary Jane (Weflen) Pacheco, 58, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family at her home in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday afternoon, Nov. 3, 2017. The cause of death was lung cancer, first diagnosed in May 2015. Most dear to Mary Jane was her role as mother to her daughter, Mary Jane (MJ). Now a young adult, MJ said her mother was always her best friend. In a career of more than 30 years, Mary Jane served as an American Sign Language interpreter. With enthusiasm and compassion, she committed herself to communication and to the Deaf community. Her mother, Madonna (Donna) Kjeldahl Weflen, who graduated from the Minnesota School for the Deaf and attended Gallaudet University, sparked her interest in sign language. However, when Mary Jane graduated from Farmington High School in 1977, she could not find ASL training in Minnesota. Instead she studied nursing at the University of Minnesota. She worked as a licensed practical nurse for a short time before finding an ASL interpreter course at St. Paul Technical Vocational School. She enrolled and earned certification. Mary Jane worked a year as a classroom interpreter at Apollo High School in St. Cloud. For a summer she led a crew of Deaf teenagers building trails in the woods at Tettegouche State Park on the North Shore of Lake Superior. In 1981 she began interpreting at St. Paul Technical Vocational Institute, now named St. Paul College. For a couple of years, she also served as a freelance interpreter in various settings, such as hospitals, courtrooms, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. St. Paul TVI’s diverse population of students, faculty, and staff energized her. Mary Jane interpreted an ever-changing roster of courses—such as auto repair, accounting, business, carpentry, cosmetology, culinary arts, Deaf culture, and web design. She practiced her craft with integrity, professionalism, and joy. In January 2006, Mary Jane began interpreting at Sorenson Video Relay Service. Working early-morning shifts before starting her day at St. Paul College, she interpreted calls from across the United States and sometimes from other parts of the world. Not only the predawn hours, but also the cross-cultural connections appealed to her. She remained on staff at both workplaces until illness forced her to retire in 2017. In spite of illness, Mary Jane displayed an uncommon capacity for openness and joy. Her bright spirit infused her religious life. She was an active member of the Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis. A Christian who practiced her faith daily, she welcomed opportunities to connect with people. Mary Jane also embraced adventures and travel. She admired architecture; and on her trip to New York, she spent every spare moment walking the streets and exploring skyscrapers, churches, and brownstones. But the natural world drew her even more. Whether swimming in little Lake Linka or standing on the palisades overlooking Lake Superior, she reveled in the experience. Awesome! Aware and appreciative of her Nordic roots, Mary Jane relished family affairs centered around lefse making, quilting, playing cards, and telling stories. Always generous, she drove hundreds of miles to chauffeur her aunts to events. She joined a Norwegian women’s group called Lakselaget and orchestrated one memorable luncheon: With Mary Jane interpreting, a Deaf professor spoke about his travels to Norway to teach at a folk school for the Deaf. Her curiosity about other people and cultures seemed boundless. “Real passion has the power to disrupt boundaries,” said social activist bell hooks. “I want there to be a place in the world where people can engage in one another’s differences in a way that is redemptive, full of hope and possibility.” Mary Jane found that place in each encounter. She clearly saw and keenly listened to anyone she met. Born May 7, 1959, Mary Jane Weflen grew up in Farmington, Minnesota. After graduating from high school in 1977, she moved to Minneapolis to attend college. In 1989 she married Robert Pacheco. Though the marriage ended in divorce, she remained close to the Pacheco family. Mary Jane’s mother, Madonna Mae Kjeldahl Weflen, and her father, Palmer Marvin Weflen, preceded her in death. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her sister Kathleen Weflen, brother-in-law Lou Ferreri, and niece Hannah; her brother Gary Weflen, sister-in-law Lou Ann, and nephews Andrew, John, and Joseph; her sister Nancy Buselmeier, brother-in-law Ted, niece Erin Hutchinson and nephew-in-law Troy, nephew Ted, and niece Nancy; her sister Brenda Sellner, brother-in-law Gary, nieces Claire, Grace, and Mae; her sister Wanda Carr and brother-in-law Vince; grand-nieces Stella and Madonna Buselmeier; grand-nephews Wyatt Buselmeier and Heath, Benjamin, and Joseph Hutchinson and Archie Kelley; aunts Audrey Nelson, Ann Marie Rasmusson, Ramona Knudsvig, and Deanna Kjeldahl; and a multitude of cousins. Mary Jane will be deeply missed by her beloved family, friends, colleagues, and faith community. Rest in love and peace.
  Person ID	I38078	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	22 Apr 2023

  
  

  Father	Palmer Marvin WEFLEN,   b. 27 Feb 1923, Wang Twp, Renville County, Minnesota d. 20 Apr 1995, Dakota County, Minnesota (Age 72 years)
  Mother	Madonna Mae KJELDAHL,   b. 26 May 1926, Pope County, Minnesota d. 11 Apr 1980, Dakota County, Minnesota (Age 53 years)
  Marriage	1948
  Family ID	F25809	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Robert PACHECO   d. 22 Oct 2020, Hennepin County, Minnesota
  Divorce	Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F25810	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Apr 2023