Mary Jo Brady

Mary Jo (Havens) Brady

November 24, 1931 ~ July 19, 2022

 Mary Jo Brady passed away peacefully on July 19, 2022, at her home in Temescal Valley, California surrounded by her family. She was born on November 24, 1931, in Holmes Park, Missouri to James W. and P. Gladys (Hartman) Havens. Mary Jo met Ernie, the love of her life, while working as a car hop at Doc’s Drive-In in Grand Junction, Colorado. They married September 22, 1949, in Denver, Colorado. 

 When she was a very young girl, she, her friend Maryanne, and her little brother Frank started a detective bureau and fought crime by day. From then on, she had a keen interest in true crime dramas both on TV and in movies. Most evenings (unless there was a game on!) Mary Jo would be watching an old black and white crime show, IDTV (“Investigation Discovery” channel), the “First 48” and so many others. She also enjoyed the occasional high speed chases that would interrupt Judge Judy or the news.

 Mary Jo worked as an extremely able and skilled executive secretary for several large companies in both Colorado and California for more than twenty years. She was proud of her abilities and experience. She spoke of earning one of her positions because she was the only applicant that knew shorthand.

 Mary Jo was a very talented artist. In 1978, after her macrame phase had ended, she joined a ceramics class in Lakeside, California. Little did she know then, just how much ceramics would benefit her life. Not only did it give her great joy and a little extra income at times, but it also introduced her to friends that would remain in her life until the very end. This was when she began her traditions of hand making ceramic Easter eggs, Christmas ornaments, baby shoes and many other wonderful annual treasures her family learned to love. After moving to Grand Junction, Colorado in 1985, she began teaching ceramics in the basement of her home. She would soon realize she needed more room, and with a business partner opened Apple Tree Ceramics in a warehouse in Grand Junction. After returning to California in 2003, Mary Jo became the ceramics teacher for the community of Sun Meadows in Sun City where she lived. The friendships she made there lasted the rest of her life. 

 Mary Jo’s greatest joy in life was her family. She loved the family fishing trips to the lakes on Grand Mesa, and Rifle Gap Reservoir near their home in Grand Junction, Colorado. Three generations of her family would picnic, fish, and have wonderful days at these beautiful places. When the fishing was good, the fish-fry could last well into the night! She was extremely fond of games and puzzles. The games of “31”, Poker, and Farkle, that could erupt at holiday parties and family gatherings are legendary. Mary Jo was always very competitive. She also loved solving puzzles such as cryptograms and had recently become a big fan of Wordle…(and she was really good at it).

 NFL football was Mary Jo’s favorite sport. She was a long-time Denver Bronco and John Elway fan, (but sorry Mr. Elway…Peyton Manning was her favorite player!). She was a big supporter of and followed the Los Angeles Angels during baseball season. Like many Angels fans, she was very disappointed in their 2022 season. She was a Mike Trout fan from the very beginning, but her most recent favorite was Shohei Ohtani.

 Like her father before her, Mary Jo had quite a green thumb. Her plants, both indoor and out, always thrived. At the very least, she and Ernie grew their own tomatoes and jalapeño peppers every year. However, most years they had a vegetable garden in their backyard. Mary Jo learned to love succulents early on in life. Her succulent garden outside her bedroom window (one of her favorite views) is full of decorations and plants from her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

 Mary Jo had a deep faith in God. She was raised in the Baptist church but converted to Ernie’s Lutheran faith some years after they were married. She had a regular, daily schedule of praying, and reading the Bible.

 She was preceded in death by her parents, sister and two brothers. She is survived by her daughter Donna Sue Ramos and partner Dave Corcoran, son Dan and wife Kathy, daughter Jami and husband Bryan; 8 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Jo Brady, please visit our floral store.