Mary Hallifax

Mary Jayne was born January 3rd, 1929 in Marquette, Michigan to Oliver and Margaret (Gaspar) Shampine. Mary Jayne spent her entire life in her hometown of Munising, attending Sacred Heart Grade School and graduated from William G. Mather High School in 1946 as valedictorian of her class which she frequently reminded her children. Her membership on the committee for ‘The Torch’, the first yearbook published at Mather since the late 1920’s helped shape her history in becoming Alger County’s pictorial historian. When the yearbook staff was looking for someone to supply the candid photos, Lucille Buckley, the school secretary and avid photographer sought out a student to help develop film and print pictures. This opportunity introduced mom to the world of photography. From there her family can hardly recall a day when mom did not have a camera anchored around her neck.

Upon graduation Mary Jayne got a job at Peoples State Bank in the insurance department while working at night taking pictures and spending many hours in the darkroom. When her mother said she was working too hard (and getting crabby) Mary Jayne gave up the bank position and pursued a career in photography. Her father gave her one-hundred dollars to purchase an enlarger, chemicals and trays and she was off and running. From there many years were spent acquiring new skills by attending seminars all over the country, particularly wedding and senior photography.

Mary Jayne soon joined the Professional Photographers Organization for both Michigan and Wisconsin, attending many of their seminars throughout the years and studying with some of the best photographers in the U.S. and Europe. Having a quality camera in those early days was a luxury and professional photographers had to carry a 4 X 5 press camera, a couple dozen film holders, a flash bulb for each exposure, battery pack, tripod, exposure meter and more.

In the Spring of 1948, Mary Jayne met Richard Hallifax in Munising and they were married on September 9, 1948. In addition to being a funeral director Richard attended the New York School of Photography in 1953 for several months. Together they were a great team and the extra set of hands and skill was much welcomed as they started having their family. Dad did much of the film developing and press work, especially sporting events while mom carried out the printing, all the portraiture, mostly weddings, family, and graduation photography. Richard was a wonderful husband and father and sadly we lost him to Alzheimer’s Disease in 2001. Together they had four children: Dean, Janeen, Laurie, and Heather.

Mary Jayne ran the photography business out of the home and that meant an office, studio, and darkroom were just part of the Hallifax house. Everything was developed black and white back then and Mary Jayne spent much time transforming portraits with oil paints. Mom would usually color her photographs in the evening while we all enjoyed TV programming together. Her card table would be her work surface with a tackle box she has to this day organizing her oil paints. Photography was her passion and she became known as “one shot Mary Jayne” at the Kimberly Clark Paper Mill as she or dad would generally shoot just one picture of each subject and it was always a success.

During her career with newspaper work and even into retirement Mary Jayne photographed seven Michigan governors on their trips to Munising: G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams, John Swainson, Goerge Romney, William Milliken, James Blanchard, John Engler and Rick Snyder. She especially remembers G. Mennen Williams showing up at at her front door for reprints of his favored trout fishing trips with Frank Carr of Christmas. Mom vividly recalled the amazed look on the senior student’s face she was currently photographing while introduced to the governor of Michigan.

Mary Jayne was a mighty force, and she was a proud and faithful member of the Munising Business and Professional Women’s Club serving in all offices until the club disbanded around 1990. She served on the Girl Scout council when Clear Lake was the Girl Scout camp. She held a 4-H sewing club for years helping young girls make their own doll blankets. Mary Jayne was also a member of the Alger County Historical Society, Sacred Heart Church, Munising Hospital Auxiliary and truly enjoyed volunteering at the Munising Senior Citizen Center. Humble at heart she was honored with awards for her photography, leadership, and historical pictorial preservation of Alger County. Having access to a camera, especially a press camera was a rarity in her early career and it was not uncommon to get a phone call from local or state authorities to provide photographic documentation for their case. Mom never retired from taking photographs and good ones at that. Up until her 95th birthday she had a weekly column “All About Town with Mary Jayne” or “Down Memory Lane in Alger County” for the Marquette Mining Journal and years earlier for the Munising News. Even with her mobility issues and failing vision, mom loved sharing her extensive knowledge and photos from Munising’s past. She was always active and walked three miles a day for decades. When she could no longer walk the distance she wanted to, she would cruise all about town on her scooter.

Most of all, Mary Jayne had a passion for living life to the fullest from everyday experiences to traveling the world. A day in her photographic career may start in her darkroom but has involved climbing aboard the The Coast Guard Mackinaw Great Lakes Ice Cutter, airplane rides for aerial topography, police forensic work, hiking/boat rides to destination weddings throughout the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park, etc. During the winter months it was not uncommon for her to take two or three of us kids on a snowmobile trip to and around Grand Island. Mom always carried an extra spark plug and fan belt and was proficient in making minor repairs. But most of all Mary Jayne was an inspirational and loving mother who claimed the two most important attributes a parent can give their children are roots and wings and for this we cannot thank you enough mom. You are forever in our hearts and we will miss you terribly.

Mary Jayne was preceded in death by her parents, Oliver and Margaret Shampine, husband, Richard D. Hallifax who died on January 4, 2001, brother Oliver Shampine, son, Dean Hallifax, daughter Heather Bush, sons-in-law Tony Chebli and Dan Boucher.

Mary Jayne is survived by her daughters Janeen Chebli and Laurel Boucher, grandsons Zachary (Chelsey) Boucher, Steve (Ryleigh) Bush, Kyle (Kaela) Bush and great-grandchildren Henry, Daniel and Arlie.

Heartfelt thanks go to Munising Memorial Hospital, UP Health Systems of Marquette, Northwoods Home Health and Hospice, Bay Care Medical Center in Munising, Bowerman Funeral Home and of course the loving and compassionate care received at Harbour View Assisted Living Center In Munising. Most of all, thank you to all the special people in Munising and the surrounding area who were part of Mary Jayne’s rich life in some way or another. The family is honored to know that treasured professional family portraits are a part of so many homes in Munising.

Visitation will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home on Thursday from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Mary Jayne’s Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father

Michael Ocran on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Munising. Interment will take place at the Maple Grove Cemetery in the spring.

Her obituary and online tribute wall may be found at bowermanfuneralhome.net.