Mary Jo Owens

Mary Jo Owens, age 91, of Cicero, Indiana, passed away peacefully at her home on May 22, 2021. A strong believer in a better life after this one, she awaited a joyous reunion with loved ones no longer with us. Mary Josephine Recobs was born on January 21, 1930 in Elwood, Indiana. Her parents were Virgile G. (Osborne) and Frank E. Recobs who preceded her in death. She was a graduate of Tipton High School, Class of 1948.

From an early age, music was a great interest and she played the flute and occasionally piccolo in the Tipton High School band and the Ball State Orchestra. For a time she studied at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music in Indianapolis.

Mary Jo attended Ball State University receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1952. In her early years she taught in the Indianapolis Public Schools System, Northwestern Howard Schools, Galveston, Indiana, and Third Ward in Noblesville, Indiana. Finally she taught in the Hamilton Heights School community for the next four decades. She completed her master’s degree at Ball State in 1967.

She married Bill Owens on June 12, 1953 and raised three children in Cicero. Her husband preceded her in death in 2002.

Her retirement years were spent tutoring her grandchildren, enjoying the company of family and friends, going to church, studying the bible and rooting for Notre Dame football. She also enjoyed reading voluminously, especially mysteries and spy stories of a British or New England flavor. She enjoyed sharing her community spirit with her friends of the Cicero Kiwanis Club.

Survivors include a daughter, Anne (Bill) Tharp, a son Steve Owens, and a daughter Kathy (Doug) Bures. She is survived by four grandsons, Chad (Amy) Dunn, Robert (Catrina) Dunn, Benjamin Bures and Joseph Bures. Mary Jo was blessed with six great-grandchildren: Kaylie (Kyle) Snodgrass, Jaysie (Lenard) Vander Lyke, Dreiken Dunn, Madison Dunn, Caitlin Dunn and Dusty Dunn. She also had a great-great grandson, Atlas Vander Lyke and two more expected this year. Her children also included the hundreds of students she taught throughout her career.

In addition to her husband's parents, she was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter, Madison Dunn, and son-in-law, Douglas K Bures.

Special thanks to Dr. Nathan Lambert and his staff and Dr. Lori Wisely and her staff. The family also wishes to thank Guardian Angel Hospice of Kokomo, Indiana, for their strong support and guidance in a very difficult time.

Services have been entrusted to Hartley Funeral Home, 209 W Jackson ST, Cicero Indiana, where friends are invited to visit Tuesday, June 1, 3:00 - 8:00 PM with a candlelight ceremony at 7:45 PM. Funeral services will be held at the same location on Wednesday, June 2, 11:00 AM, followed by a brief graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, friends may wish to make a contribution in Mary Jo’s name to the Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation, PO Box 469, Arcadia Indiana 46030 or Victory Chapel, 13350 E 216th ST, Noblesville Indiana 46060.

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