Mary Jane Winquest, 69, of Lakewood, Colorado, and Lincoln, Nebraska, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Lincoln.

Mary Jane, also known as “MJ,” was born on October 2, 1956, in Holdrege, Nebraska, to Harold Latham Winquest and Phyllis Kraus Winquest. She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepfather, Rodney Roy Johnson; and her stepbrother, Kim R. Johnson.

She is survived by her sisters, Julie (Roger) Sand of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Joyce (Clark) Olsen of Bellevue, Washington; her stepbrother, Ed (Linda) Johnson of St. George, Utah; nieces Heidi Boemper, Heather Spivey, Lindsey Schmidt, Erinn Thompson and nephews Jeremy Sand, Troy Olsen, Chad Olsen, Jeff Olsen, and Matt Johnson; as well as several cousins.

Mary Jane graduated from Holdrege High School in 1975 and earned her degree from the University of Nebraska School of Journalism. Throughout her career, she excelled in marketing, communications, brand management, publications, public relations, and leadership.

Following graduation, she worked at the Waverly Newspaper before moving to Denver, Colorado, in 1981. She joined Adventure Unlimited, where she helped advance the organization’s marketing and communications efforts and remained involved throughout her years in Colorado. Her career also included founding MJ Communications, five years with Trammell Crow Company in Englewood, Colorado, nine years with ARAMARK Education Resources in Golden, Colorado, and several other communications and marketing roles.

After returning to Lincoln to help care for her aging parents, Mary Jane worked for Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) for many years until semi-retirement. Even then, she continued to share her talents by working with a variety of organizations. She also enjoyed volunteering in organizations of special interest.

Since returning to Nebraska, Mary Jane maintained homes in both Lakewood, Colorado, and Lincoln, Nebraska. Her love for Colorado and the mountains continually drew her back for skiing, hiking, outdoor adventures, and treasured time with friends. At the same time, her deep love for Holdrege and Nebraska kept her closely connected to family, lifelong friendships, and her roots.

Mary Jane was a breath of fresh air to everyone who knew her. She was known for her kindness, compassion, adventurous spirit, selflessness, and unwavering willingness to help others. A member of the Christian Science Church, her faith guided her daily life and was evident in the way she treated everyone she met.

She was an avid supporter of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in every sport and also faithfully followed the Kansas City Royals. She cherished her Nebraska heritage as well as her adopted state Colorado. A devoted sister and aunt, she treasured time with her family and the many dear friends who enriched her life. Her beloved dogs—Ben, Josie, and Buddy—brought her immeasurable joy and companionship.

Mary Jane will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Memorial services in Lincoln are pending. A graveside service for family and friends is planned in Holdrege at Prairie Home Cemetery on September 17 at 3:00 pm. Memorials to a charity of your choice or to the family for designation at a later date.

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