Mary Jo Miller, 97, passed away peacefully at her home on April 1, Easter Sunday, one day before her 98th birthday. Her sons John and Dan were at her side.
Mary Jo was born on April 2, 1920 to Frank and Frances (Armstrong) Fitzsimons. She attended school at Holland School to the eighth grade. Mary Jo married Delvin Miller on Aug. 2, 1944 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Darlington. From this union, 6 children were born and raised on the family farm. Mary Jo and Delvin farmed all their lives She became a widow in 1967 at the age of 47. She continued farming with the help of her son John and raising her family.
Mary Jo was active in Our Lady of Hope Seymour Church and their Altar Society. She taught religion and sang in the choir for many years. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great- and great-great-grandmother. Mary Jo was an active member in the Belmont Bit and Bridle Saddle Club for many years. She had a love of horses that she and Delvin passed on to their children. Music was a very important part of her life. One of her favorite things to do was make music with her extended family at reunions and get togethers. She played several instruments and was an active member of the Belmont Kitchen Band for many, many years going to nursing homes and parties to entertain. She was the piano player in the group.
Mary Jo is survived by 6 children: Jerry (Joan) Miller, John Miller, Joni (Jerry) Holtz, Mary (Tom) Morrissey, all of Belmont, Kathy (Gene) Riechers of Darlington and Dan Miller of Vian, Oka.; 14 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Pat Cassidy and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband Delvin, her parents, four brothers: Charles “Bud” (Mary) Fitzsimons, John (Aubrey) Fitzsimons, Ed Fitzsimons and Bill Fitzsimons and four sisters: Marguerite (Sam) Ellickson, Eileen (Bob) Graves, Monica (Bill) Dorman, and Jane Cassidy; her in-laws, Donald (Della) Miller, Dwight (Helen) Miller, Dayle Miller and Dorothy (Norman) Sue.
Family and friends may call at the Melby Funeral Home 1245 North Water Street in Platteville from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 5th with the Rosary at 3:45 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. until time of service at the church on Friday. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, Seymour 10962 County Hwy. O Shullburg at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 6. Memorials may be made to the Mary Jo Miller Memorial Fund.
Thank you to Peggy Steger and her staff at Sentinel Health Care, to the staff at St. Croix Hospice of Platteville, especially Jodi and Leslie, and Marion Olson. Their personal loving care of Mary Jo the past few years was greatly appreciated and special thanks to her son John for his love and care of mom that allowed her to live out her life in her home.