Marie Louise Mendelsohn Jenkins

It is with deep sorrow that we share the news that our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and mother-in-law Marie Louise Mendelsohn Jenkins died on August 22, 2015. We learned very recently that Marie had a rare lymphoma. Unfortunately, the cancer had weakened her body to the point that she could not continue, despite her strong spirit and love for life. She passed peacefully late Saturday afternoon, with her family around her. Marie received her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Mount Holyoke College in 1958 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Master of Arts in Mathematics from Yale University in 1960. Marie married Thomas Jenkins in 1961. They have two daughters, Anne and Elizabeth. The family moved to Louisville, KY in 1968. Marie taught mathematics at Oakland University in Michigan and the University of Louisville and was active in the Girl Scouts. In 1987, she co-founded a chapter of PFLAG in Louisville. In 2000, Marie and Tom moved to Loveland to be near Elizabeth and her family. They quickly became involved with the local PFLAG chapter and the Democratic Party. Marie had a great intellect and was a dedicated teacher. She toiled patiently in the unglamorous but essential field of teaching educators how to teach mathematics to children. Marie loved nature and was a lifelong Girl Scout. She cared deeply about the world and advocated for social justice, most significantly through her 28 years of leadership in PFLAG on behalf of LGBT people. She loved to read and talk about books, to walk in the woods, to cook delicious meals and to be with her family. She adored her grandchildren. A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, September 26, 2015, 10:00am at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 100 Miami Avenue, Terrace Park, OH 45174. A reception will follow. Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Jan and Louise (nee Gibson) Mendelsohn and brother John Mendelsohn. She is survived by her loving husband Thomas M. Jenkins, devoted daughters Anne (Laura Pettibone) Jenkins and Elizabeth (Tom) Erb, and her cherished grandchildren Diana and T.J. Erb. As we walk in grief, we are comforted by her great love for us. Memorial contributions may be directed to the PFLAG Cincinnati Scholarship Fund, PO Box 19634, Cincinnati OH 45219-0634 (pflagcinci.org) or Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, 4930 Cornell Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242 (gswo.org).