VanAlstyne – Services for Mary Jo Jay Wrenn will be held at the Howe First United Methodist Church on Thursday, January 5, 2017, at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Hall Cemetery, Hall Cemetery Road, Howe. Services are under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home.
Services will be conducted by Mary Jo’s former pastor, Reverend Tom Medley of Wichita Falls. Pallbearers will be Jimbo Portman, Paul Bailey, Freddy Ramsey, Jr., Jared Ramsey, Ed Martin, and Jay Martin. Honorary pallbearers will be Jack Sikes, George Cavender, Freddy Ramsey, Sr., Ned Culp, Marvin Smith, and Carl Arend.
Mary Jo “Josie” Wrenn finished her struggle with COPD on Monday morning, January 2, at Wilson N. Jones Hospital. Her family had loved, encouraged, and supported her through the last several years of increasing health problems. Mary Jo entered this life on July 4, 1945, and loved life, always welcoming friends with her fun personality. She was the second daughter of Overton E. and Vinita Enloe Jay of Howe.
Mary Jo graduated from Howe High School and trained to become a licensed x-ray technician. She then worked for many years at Wilson N. Jones Hospital. After leaving the hospital, she opened “Josie’s Treasures,” named for her grandmother, in Van Alstyne. She operated the store for several years before again working in radiology at Bryan County Memorial Hospital in Durant. Wherever she worked, Mary Jo made lifelong friends.
She married Donald Kenneth (Kenny) Wrenn in March, 1988, in Savoy, Texas. They built their home on the farm where Mary Jo spent her earliest years. They raised cattle and welcomed several pets, including Mary Jo’s beloved companions, Rennie and Iggy, who was named for Mary Jo’s favorite character in her favorite movie, “Fried Green Tomatoes.” She always cheered for the underdog and loved to help anyone she could, especially young children.
Mary Jo was a faithful member of Howe First United Methodist Church, where she loved quilting and fellowship with the “Wednesday Workers,” who contributed so much to the church through their annual November bazaars. She was also a member of the Mantua Lodge, Eastern Star, and the Martha Jefferson Randolph Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In recent years, she and Kenny were members of the “Southern Aprons” cook team for the Home Hospice of Grayson County Fish Cook-off, frying the fish and Mary Jo’s award-winning hushpuppies.
In recent years, Mary Jo enjoyed traveling with her husband, friends, and cousins. She loved spending time at Lake Fork, and she loved spending time with her grandson Jared. She was able to share in supporting him when he played football at Oklahoma Baptist University and, most recently, she attended his “ring ceremony” at Texas A&M University.
Mary Jo was predeceased by her grandparents, parents, and nephew, Ernie H. Martin, Jr. She is survived by her husband, Kenny; children: Carl David Englutt, Jr. and Leasa Englutt Ramsey and her husband Freddy W. Ramsey, Jr.; grandson Jared Hunter Ramsey; sister, Beverly Martin and husband Ernie H. Martin. She is also survived by a number of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to thank Dr. J. Michael Benson for his devoted care of Mary Jo for several years and the staff of WNJ surgical ICU in recent days for their kind care of Mary Jo.
The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 PM Wednesday at Waldo Funeral Home. Memorials to the Howe First United Church will be appreciated by the family. The register book may be signed online at waldofuneralhome.com.