Elizabeth Jane McKenna Churay, of Tomball, Texas, lost her five-year battle with metastatic breast cancer on January 22, 2021.

Elizabeth, or Betty Jane as she liked to be known, was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, John William Churay, her parents, John and Leoda Schutte McKenna, and, among others, her aunt and uncle, Marcella and Edward Powers. She is survived by her sons, Daniel and Robert Churay, as well as their respective spouses, Lynn and Linda. She was a proud grandmother to Daniel and Lynn's sons – Ryan, Addison and John Churay, and to Robert and Linda's daughter – Mary Churay.

Betty Jane was born Elizabeth Jane McKenna at home on July 4, 1937 in Chippewa Township, Pennsylvania, and she loved to reminisce about her youth. She enjoyed telling stories about summers spent in Florida, her accomplishments as an English-style equestrienne and the music lessons that ushered in a lifetime of performing. As a young soprano, she obtained a degree in music from Duquesne University, which led her to thrive as a soprano soloist for a number of operas, symphonies and choral groups, including the Pittsburgh and Shreveport Symphonies.
During the 1960s and 1970s, when our family moved to Louisiana, Betty Jane taught elementary school at Agnew Town and Country Day School in Shreveport. She continued to substitute teach from time to time when our family moved to Austin, Texas. She and her husband, Jack, bought and operated Young Years, a small chain of children's clothing stores in Austin and Houston, Texas, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Music and antiquing were Betty Jane's life-long passions. She sang at numerous houses of worship for many faiths and directed various church choirs, including acting as Choir Director of St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Austin, Texas for many years. Betty Jane always had a story about a treasure that she picked up at auction or a customer who came into her antique store.

A funeral mass will be held at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 19222 Tomball Parkway, Houston, in the Mary Chapel at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 29. The mass will be subject to COVID safety protocols. A private interment will follow later in the year at The Beaver Cemetery in Beaver, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either:
• Susan G. Komen - Houston Chapter: https://komen-houston.org/ or
• Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music: https://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/music/giving-opportunities