Obituary: Mary Jane Lederman, 1947-2024 

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• Courtesy
• Mary Jane Lederman

Mary Jane Lederman passed away on August 14, 2024, in her beloved hometown of Underhill, Vt. Mary Jane was born on September 24, 1947, to Jean Gettys and James Lee Morgan in Plattsburgh, N.Y., but she grew up in the picturesque village of Rouses Point, N.Y.

The village of Rouses Point sits with the Canadian border to its north and Lake Champlain to its east. This location certainly helped to shape her early years. She grew up on the lake, where she spent her time swimming, fishing and boating.

When not on the lake, Mary Jane could be found spending time drawing, with her friends or grandparents, or tending to her beloved horse, Mint Julip. When she was in her teens, she also worked at the family-owned drive in-theater. In other words, she grew up doing all the things that kids like to do when growing up in a small town.

After graduating from Champlain High School, Mary Jane was sent to a "finishing school" for young women, in Buena Vista, Va. The school failed miserably at trying to finish her. However, she later earned a bachelor's degree in art education from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Her passion for art and teaching led her to a short but very fulfilling job, teaching art to young children in Highland, N.Y.

In 1968 Mary Jane married the love of her life, Jay Lederman. Together they moved to Sunrise, Fla., where they began raising their two children, Adam and Tamar, and where Mary Jane began her career in the U.S. Postal Service as a zip code machine operator. She continued to move up the ladder in her career in the postal system, in spite of being harassed for a being a woman and taking a man's job. She retired in 2001 as the postmaster of Underhill, Vt. While she was a postmaster, she was tasked to travel the state to encourage women within the postal system to expand their horizons and strive to better themselves by moving up within the system. As a result, many of Vermont's female postmasters can thank Mary Jane for her efforts.

As the postmaster, Mary Jane instituted the 911 address system in Underhill, a process that changed everyone's street address. Although many residents at first resented the changes to their street addresses, the 911 address system enabled the fire and police departments to easily locate a residence in case of an emergency.

In addition to her statewide initiatives for upward mobility for women within the postal system, Mary Jane also worked to motivate women for upward mobility outside the postal community. She, along with two other women, formed Mountain Moving, a company whose goal was to motivate women to better their lives.

Mary Jane's primary hobbies, where she excelled, were painting and flower gardening. However, she also loved reading, playing tennis, traveling and writing a column for the local paper where she described the goings-on in town. Mary Jane planned her flower gardens as if she were creating a painting. Many of the beautiful paintings of her flowers and surroundings adorn the walls of her Underhill home.

She was predeceased by her parents; a young brother, who died at infancy; and another brother, who died of AIDS. She is survived by her husband, Jay; children, Tamar and Adam; grandchildren, Bridger, Katelyn, Joseph and Kyle; and brothers Jim and Robert; along with their families and her cherished extended family, Laura, Jeannette, DJ, John Bouyea and Michael Barney.

The celebration to honor Mary Jane's life will be held on a hillside of her home on September 24, 2024, 2 p.m. A hole will be prepared in order to plant a flowering dogwood tree in her memory. Along with half of her ashes, everyone present or far away will be invited to place a memento, poem, letter, etc. in the hole.

The other half of her ashes will be spread among her many flower gardens. In this way, Mary Jane will, forever, be a part the surroundings she loved so much.

A reception will follow on the deck of her home, where friends and family can share memories and comfort one another.

Mary Jane Lederman will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Her spirit and love of life will continue to inspire those who knew her.

She will be deeply missed.

Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.