Oh, what can I say about Mary Jo? She was a beautiful girl and a distant cousin of mine, who married another distant cousin of mine, Gil Karika. We had a lot of fun during our days at Washington Park Baptist Church and Manners School.
I remember when I heard of her death and that of her unborn daughter, Christine, I was living in Ottawa, Illinois and called Gil. At that time, I told him that if I ever had a daughter I would name her after Mary Jo. A couple of years later, I did have a daughter, but didn't name her after Mary Jo, but after her daughter with just a slight change by calling her Kristine.
Mary Jo and Christine are buried close to my parents at the cemetery in Fairview Heights. Every time I go there, I take flowers for my mom and dad, but I also put flowers on Mary Jo's grave site. I cry every time I do it as it appeared that there were never any flowers on her grave. I cry now as I write this memorial to a lady that left us at a young age. God bless you Mary Jo and Christine.
I remember hearing about Mary Jo and the loss of both she and her baby. It was so very sad. It still is. She was always so sweet and a very lovely girl, who would have made a great mom.
Mary Jo and I went to school from the first grade to high school. She lived just a few houses from my family. Our Mothers were friends also. She has been missed by all her friends she grew up with on 59th Street in Washington Park.
Marlene Somraty (Somraty)
Oh, what can I say about Mary Jo? She was a beautiful girl and a distant cousin of mine, who married another distant cousin of mine, Gil Karika. We had a lot of fun during our days at Washington Park Baptist Church and Manners School.I remember when I heard of her death and that of her unborn daughter, Christine, I was living in Ottawa, Illinois and called Gil. At that time, I told him that if I ever had a daughter I would name her after Mary Jo. A couple of years later, I did have a daughter, but didn't name her after Mary Jo, but after her daughter with just a slight change by calling her Kristine.
Mary Jo and Christine are buried close to my parents at the cemetery in Fairview Heights. Every time I go there, I take flowers for my mom and dad, but I also put flowers on Mary Jo's grave site. I cry every time I do it as it appeared that there were never any flowers on her grave. I cry now as I write this memorial to a lady that left us at a young age. God bless you Mary Jo and Christine.
(Jun) Jeannette Santen (Vardiman)
I remember hearing about Mary Jo and the loss of both she and her baby. It was so very sad. It still is. She was always so sweet and a very lovely girl, who would have made a great mom.
(Jun) Mary Chism (Goldschmidt)
Mary Jo and I went to school from the first grade to high school. She lived just a few houses from my family. Our Mothers were friends also. She has been missed by all her friends she grew up with on 59th Street in Washington Park.
Mary Ann (Chism) Goldschmidt