WRIGHT, Mary Josephine (Foster) 1936-2016

WRIGHT, FOSTER, STEIERT

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 10/5/2016 at 12:35:33

Mary Josephine "Jo" Wright

Died October 4, 2016

Mary Jo “Grandma Jo” Wright, age 80, of Osage, died Tuesday, October 4, 2016, at Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 8, 2016, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage with Father Raymond Burkle officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Riceville with military honors at the grave by Osage American Legion Post 278. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage.

Mary Josephine “Jo” Wright was born August 2, 1936, at Riceville, Iowa, the daughter of Lawrence and Lura (Steiert) Foster. She graduated from Riceville High School in 1954. Jo served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean Conflict from 1954 to 1958. On May 13, 1961, she married Robert R. Wright, Jr. at the Roman Catholic Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They lived on the east coast of the United States and moved to Davenport, Iowa, in 1975. Robert passed away October 23, 1976. Jo and her six children moved to Riceville in 1977, where Jo was the owner/operator of the Daisy Café from 1977 to 1983.

In 1983, she moved to Kingman, Arizona, where she was employed as a health unit coordinator at Kingman Regional Medical Center, and was also involved with in-home retail sales. Jo moved back to Iowa in 2007. She was a volunteer Foster Grandparent at Lincoln Elementary School and Sacred Heart School, and volunteered at Mitchell County Regional Health Center and Sacred Heart Church, all in Osage. Jo was a member of the Osage American Legion, V.F.W. and V.F.W. Auxiliary.

Jo enjoyed collecting miniature antique pencil sharpeners, spoons from various states, Pez dispensers, and glass decorative baskets. She also enjoyed crafts, making greeting cards, and writing stories and poetry. Jo’s greatest joy was her family. No matter what she was doing, she would always take time to visit when they would call or stop in.

Jo is survived by her children, Brian Wright of Osage, Iowa, Kelly Wright of Osage, Iowa, Karen (Todd) Souhrada of Allison, Iowa, Scott (Tanya) Wright of Kingman, Arizona, Paula (Kirby) Laub of Henderson, Nevada, and Lynne (Keith) Valentine of Kingman, Arizona; 14 grandchildren, Shannon, Dwayne, Tyler, Amanda, Robbie, April, Anna (deceased in 2005), Abby, Aren, Alli, Heather, Riley, Derek, and Cole; seven great-grandchildren, Joey, Courtney, Skyler, Tanner, Zoey, Alex, and Leah; brothers, Thomas (Judy) Henderson of Clarksville, Georgia, and Jerry (Deb) Henderson of Ridgeway, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert R. Wright, Jr. in 1976; granddaughter, Anna Souhrada in 2005; sisters, Shirley Eastman and Dorothy Cherry; nephew, Mark Henderson; and nieces, LouAnn Belchner, Tobi Ball, and Gloria Jean Eastman.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home 641-732-3706

Source: Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home website