Mary Jane Linne Hillstrom, age 75, passed away peacefully on September 9, 2026 in Franklin, Tennessee following a courageous journey with Primary Progressive Aphasia, a rare form of dementia. She died surrounded by the love of her family.

Mary Jane (Mj) was born in Medford, Oregon, to James and Dorothy Linne on March 29, 1951. Her family moved several times while she was growing up due to James’s position with the Federal Bureau of Land Management. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Music Education. Her first career was devoted to teaching choral music at the elementary and secondary levels. She later earned a counseling certificate from Seattle Pacific University and spent her second career as a high school counselor specializing in college applications. In that role, she helped students and parents navigate the college application process.

Mj married Philip Hillstrom, on July 7, 1990, at Seal Rock on the Oregon Coast. She adopted the Christian faith early in her life and she manifested that faith as she sought to serve others throughout her life. She had a beautiful singing voice and she and her husband, Phil, enjoyed several seasons as ticket holders to Seattle Opera. She also enjoyed cooking for others, volunteering to feed the homeless, hiking, gardening, and spending time with their dogs.

Mj is preceded in death by her parents, James and Dorothy Linne. She was the proud stepmother of Stephanie Murphy (Dan), Jamie Schott (Brent), Erin Grivna (Troy), and Matthew Hillstrom (Misha). Her siblings were Mitchell Linne, Kathryn Fleming, Mark Linne, and Stephen Linne. Mj was the grandmother of nine grandchildren: Braden, Haley, Mason, Justus, Emery Lynn, Zachary, Ayla, Lucas, and Kyah.

A memorial service will be held at Somerby Franklin, 870 Oak Meadow Drive, on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Please join us in celebrating Mj and a life filled with faith, love, family, and purpose.

Memorials may be given to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD). The family of Mj wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Tia Aryal, nurse Eva Elliott, Gentiva Hospice, and the residents and entire staff at Somerby Franklin for their care and love.