Mary Jo Kline
KLINE, HEWITT, LIEVENS, KROB, HOUSTON, HEIMS, STRIEF, NICHOL, MILLER
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 12/27/2022 at 08:42:03
Mary Jo Kline, 85, died Monday. November 28, 2022.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 AM, Monday, December 5, 2022 at St. Patrick’s Church with Father Gary Beckman officiating and Deacon Kabat assisting. Visitation will be Sunday, December 4, 2022 from 2 PM to 4 PM at Lensing Oak Hill Funeral Service, 210 Holiday Road, Coralville, where the Rosary will be recited at 3:30 PM. Burial will be at 2:30 PM, Monday at Muscatine Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to St. Anne’s Helpers or God’s Helping Hands.
Mary Joann Hewitt (Mary Jo) was welcomed into the world on New Year’s Day, 1937 in Graceville, Big Stone, Minnesota, by Ransom Terrence, and Cora Florence (Nee Lievens) Hewitt, and Brother Richard having traveled there from Illinois to visit Family.
Mary Jo attended Saint Anne's grade School in Moline, later graduating in 1954, from Alleman Catholic High School with her three life-long friends all named Mary; Mary Gean Cools, Mary JoAnne Carlin, and Mary Rose McGee. After High School Mary Jo went to St. Anthony’s Hospital, Rock Island and learned to be a Laboratory Technician.
Mary Jo met Stewart William Kline at the Roller-Skating Rink in Moline Illinois, and was swept off her Skates. Stewart and Mary Jo eloped and were married on August 31, 1956 in Muscatine, Iowa. They made their home at 400 Bartlett Street, Muscatine, Iowa, this would be the home where her first two boys were born. In 1961 they moved to a sprawling 3001 River Road, home where her third boy was born. Her family left Muscatine and moved to West Liberty, Iowa in the fall of 1964. In the winter of 1966, the long-awaited daughter was born.
Mary Jo started working as a Laboratory Technician in 1968 at the University of Iowa, Microbiology Department for Dr. John Roger Porter, Erich Walther Six and George E Becker. In 1985 she transferred to the University of Iowa Hygienic Lab, working as a Chemist, where she was fondly known as MJ. In 1999 MJ retired after 31 years of service with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
Mary Jo had many interests in life and they were playing the accordion, bowling and later on in life, playing poker with friends. She was an avid sewer and loved sewing for family and friends. Her grandchildren loved getting homemade items every Christmas from “Grammie Jo”. Mary Jo was a great cook/baker and the family enjoyed many Sunday meals together. She was also a member of the Red Hat Society and enjoyed many hours doing crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. She was also very active in the Catholic Church, Mary Jo was a member of St. Anne’s Helpers and Gods Helping Hands.
Survivors include: one sister, Margaret (Mydge) Krob, Solon; sister in-law Chloe Hewitt, Moline; three Sons, Jeff (Teresa) of Cedar Rapids, Mark (Fiancé Kelly Houston) of West Liberty, Kent (Gina) of Solon, one Daughter, Jennifer (Doug) Heims of Cedar Rapids.
Nine grandchildren, Elizabeth Kline, Corrie Kline, Devon (Ryan) Strief, John Kline; Courtney, Lexi, Cullen, and Ethan Heims; Peyton Kline; former daughters in-law Judi (John) Nichol, and Sharon Miller; as well as 5 great-grandchildren. Life-long High School friends Mary Gean Strause, and Mary Rose Kerres.
Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents Terry and Cora Hewitt, husband Stewart Kline, brother Richard Hewitt, brother in-law Duane Krob, and one of her three life-long High School friends, Mary JoAnne Goodwin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Patricks’ Catholic Church groups, St. Anne’s Helpers or Gods Helping Hands.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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