Mary Jane Rieth

Mary Jane Rieth, 92 of Goshen, died at 3:00 a.m. Wednesday December 31, 2008 at her home. She was born to Clayton R. and Grace (Apple) George on December 11, 1916 in Lafayette, Indiana. On February 12, 1944 in Marion she married Albert L. Reith, Jr. He died June 5, 1984. Mrs. Rieth was a member of First United Methodist Church; a prominent Indiana conservationist and philanthropist; attended Ball State University and graduated from Purdue with a BA and MA; belonged to the American Dietetic Association; Daughters of the American Revolution; Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority; she funded a chair at Purdue and Goshen College to pay professors; helped fund the Rieth Interpretive Center of Goshen; was co-founder with her husband, Lee A. Rieth, of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center. She is survived by one sister, Virginia Karl of Geneseo, New York. She was preceded in death by her parents, her step-mother, Florence Boston George; one sister, Margaret Jean Baker and one brother, Robert George. Friends may call from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2009 at the Meetinghouse at Greencroft. A 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2009 Memorial service will be held at the Meetinghouse at Greencroft. Her cremains will be buried later at Violett Cemetery, Goshen. Memorials may be given to Merry Lea Environmental and Learning Center of Goshen College.