Camino De Santiago, Community, and Communication: Introducing the Marvelous Mary Jane King

By Terry Haycock, 1st Vice President for Membership

Longtime VPC member Mary Jane King, a native Virginian, resides in Keswick (near Charlottesville) with her husband David. She majored in English at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA, graduating in 1969 with a BA. In 1970, she earned a Master’s in English from Ohio University, Athens.

She returned home to Harrisonburg to look for work in the spring of 1970. At a friend’s suggestion, she interviewed for a position at the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg. She was hired on the spot and worked there for 12 years, covering most local government beats, writing features, editing special historical sections, and managing the newsroom on Sunday nights. She also taught beginning journalism at nearby James Madison University and at EMU. She joined VPC early in her career and enjoyed the benefits of friendships and professional development.

Mary Jane returned to EMU to work in public relations in 1981 and was there five years. A brief stint in corporate PR convinced her that nonprofits were her niche. She went to work at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, retiring in 2013 after 25 years in institutional advancement and development.

But MJ is not all business. She loves gardening flowers and vegetables. She and David like to cook. They subscribe to a local chamber music series and Mary Jane serves on that board. They are members of the Metropolitan Opera Guild and look forward to returning soon to NYC for live performances. As members of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, they enjoy the excellent exhibits closer to home.

Mary Jane has been an avid reader from a young age, which led to her support for literacy efforts in her community. She is a past board member and president of Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville and Albemarle. She belongs to a book club and likes to discover new authors by researching them before reading their works from the first to the latest. Now, her favorite book is Maggie O’Farrell’s “Hamnet.”

Mary Jane is well-traveled. She walked alone on Spain’s Camino De Santiago trail in 2013 shortly after retiring (photo 1 above), an impressive pilgrimage. She and David love Spain and rural areas of France. In 2016, they climbed to the top of Le Puy Mary in France (photo 2 above). MJ enjoys England’s southern coast and the Lake District, especially Keswick (UK). She and David have been “…privileged to cross the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II (photo 3 above) and look forward to future sea voyages.”.

Mary Jane has two grandchildren, 7 and 4, who live in Charlottesville. She sees them frequently and every Wednesday takes granddaughter Eleanor Jane to ballet class after school. She says, “It is a pleasure to do now what I was unable to do with my daughter Margaret because I was working full time.”

Asked who was most influential in her life, Mary Jane cites her Aunt Margaret. Only 15 years older than her niece, Margaret, MJ says, “…encouraged me to follow my own path and always supported my interests. With her, I felt safe to take risks that I realize now were tremendously important in my life.” She has certainly done that!

For all her accomplishments, MJ is amazingly humble. When I sought permission to author this story, she asked me why I would want to write about an “old retiree.” Her story is the answer. In addition to the interests and accomplishments mentioned above, Mary Jane is a past president of VPC, serving from 1986-88. She also is a former secretary of NFPW and was VPC’s 2007 Communicator of Achievement nominee. Most recently, she served on the VPC Foundation Board. She says the scholarships awarded each year are important to assist and encourage aspiring and seasoned journalists. MJ fondly recalls her VPC friendships and the generation of groundbreaking women like Myrtle Barnes and Lenora Everett who were incredible role models.

When we reconvene in person in the new year, be sure to seek out the marvelous Mary Jane King, an incredible role model for young writers of the past, present, and future.