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Major Mary Jane Horgen was promoted to Glory Feb. 20 from Puyallup, Wash.
Mary Jane Byers was born May 20, 1929, in Great Falls, Mont. The youngest of six children, she grew up in The Salvation Army; her mother was corps sergeant major at the Great Falls Corps for many years.
Byers entered officer training school in 1950 and was commissioned in 1951 with the Ambassadors Session.
After appointments in Portland, Ore.; Spokane, Wash.; and Havre, Mont., she met Probationary Lieutenant Richard John Horgen. The couple married in 1955 and moved to Longview, Wash., where their first two daughters—Jane and Susan—were born. Their daughter Gaylene was born during an appointment in Wenatchee, Wash.
The Horgens also served in Aberdeen, Seattle, and Bellingham, Wash.; Missoula and Great Falls, Mont.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Santa Cruz, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles, Calif.; and Salem and Portland, Ore. They retired as chaplains from the Seattle Adult Rehabilitation Center in 1997, moving first to Tacoma, Wash., and later to Puyallup.
Horgen became a greeter in her retirement community and held chapel services there twice a month with her husband. A gracious hostess, she became “mom” to many people and was known as a “prayer warrior.”
Horgen is survived by her husband, Major Richard John Horgen; three daughters: Jane Weiss, Susan Horgen, and Major Gaylene Yardley; her brother, Ted Byers; her grandchildren: Lt. Jillian O’Brien and Travis Yardley; and two great-granddaughters.
The Puyallup Valley Corps held a Celebration of Life service Feb. 25. Corps Officer Major Charity Kramerius welcomed everyone and Lt. Colonel Diane O’Brien closed with a song and benediction..
