Mary Jane Richards

Mary Jane Richards, beloved wife, stepmother, sister, and aunt, passed away due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease on March 20, 2026, in her hometown of Edwardsville, Illinois. Jane was born on May 24, 1952, the second child of Mary Louise Richards (née Strejcek) and Robert Warren Richards. She was preceded in death by her parents and her younger brother, James Robert (“Jim”or “JR”) Richards.

Jane graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1970.  She attended the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She distinguished herself as a software engineer at TRW in Los Angeles, California, and subsequently at Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.  Over the years she contributed to major aerospace projects, including the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, the B-2 Spirit bomber and the Space Shuttle.

Her career led her to different parts of the country, including many years in Boston where she met her husband, Charles Rollman, also an engineer.  They were married on May 1, 1993, and Jane grew close to her stepchildren, Michael and Caitlin.

Jane was an enthusiastic hiker, skier and RV camper. She loved the mountains of Colorado where she and her husband lived for many years.  She enjoyed traveling and visited many of the national parks in the US.  She traveled extensively abroad and her work also took her to Germany and Japan. 

Jane loved her beagles and volunteered as a dog walker for the Humane Society.  She was skilled at several crafts, particularly knitting.  Jane had a lifelong passion for music, especially bluegrass, and played piano, guitar, and sang. 

Jane will be greatly missed by the family she leaves behind: her devoted husband; Charles Rollman, of Maryville; sister, Kate (John) Motley, of Glen Carbon, sister, Deborah Richards, of Edwardsville; sister-in-law, Char Richards, of St. Peters, Missouri; stepdaughter, Caitlin (Cameron Jue) Rollman, of Seattle, stepson, Michael (Melinda Guinn) Ashley-Rollman, of Pittsburgh; step grandchildren, Emma, Zoey, Alex, and Annika of Pittsburgh; as well as brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and numerous cousins, including Gregg (Jo) Abert. 

Jane donated her body to science.  Memorials can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or the Humane Society.  Condolences may be shared online at weberfuneralhome.com

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