Mary Jo Ann Delores (McFadden) Castleberry passed peacefully on October 15, 2023, at the age of 79.

Named after her grandmothers Mary and JoHannah, Mary Jo came into the world as a delightful surprise. She was born to a 42-year-old first time mom. Upon delivery Mary Jo's mother Regina asked the doctor if her newborn was healthy, to which he reportedly replied, "She's perfect." And she was.

Raised in Tacoma, WA, Mary Jo graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas Academy in 1962. But it was at St. Ann's Elementary where this feisty redhead made lifelong friends with Kathy, Rosie, Susan, and Corrine and met the love of her life, Ron Castleberry.

Mary Jo and Ron married in 1966, and Mary Jo went to work as a secretary at Harborview Hospital in Seattle. This furthered her interest in a career in nursing and bolstered her typing skills, which she generously applied to Ron's law school papers. As with most newlyweds, money was tight so Mary Jo got inventive with menus. For years Ron and Mary Jo talked about her spaghetti with tuna fish - not the actual entrée, but the epic fight they had when Ron dared complain about the meal.

Upon Ron's graduation from UW Law School, they moved to Virginia for Ron's service as a JAG Officer in the US Army. Mary Jo made friends easily, which came in handy as they moved several times in those four years. It was while they were stationed in Georgia, 3,000 miles from any family or friends, where they welcomed their first child, Beth.

At the age of 26 Mary Jo found herself in Seoul Korea with their infant daughter. Initially, Mary Jo lived alongside some other military families while Ron lived and worked close to the DMZ. But as Ron's tour continued, Mary Jo found herself having to relocate from a quaint boarding house to an apartment in Downtown Seoul with no other military personnel in the building. Years later she'd admit this was a lonely experience but maintaining their family unit was always important to Mary Jo. Both she and Ron were delighted when soon after they returned to the States they welcomed their son David.

Back in the Pacific Northwest, they were able to socialize with Ron's extended family. As an only child with very few cousins, Mary Jo was enthralled by the size and traditions of the Castleberry and Faker Family. She loved being a part of the fun and relished in the holiday get togethers, including sixty years of Labor Day weekend reunions. She especially enjoyed a sweet relationship with her father-in-law Loren, who liked teasing her about spiders, pruning back his garden beyond repair, and fictitious stories about wounds he suffered at the hand of his loving wife.

As a young mother, she went back to college to get her degree in nursing. Between Cascade Valley Hospital and the Eye Surgery Center, Mary Jo spent more than three decades as a Registered Nurse. She was also the consummate hostess, impressing guests with a beautifully appointed and yet cozy home on Tulalip Bay. She took great pride in her blackberry pies, spicy cocktail sauce, and gorgeous bouquets of roses from her garden.

In retirement, Mary Jo enjoyed traveling. She and Ron were fortunate to take many excursions with their family and friends, including cruises, walking tours, golf outings, and several trips to Kauai. Among the most memorable was a three-day rafting trip down the Rogue River in Oregon. The entire group delighted in water gun fights and generally acting like a pack of wild teenagers. Despite her non-swimmer status, Mary Jo counted this among her favorite adventures. Another was the trip they took with the Marysville Over 40 men's soccer team, traveling through England on coach bus with a dozen of their closest friends. It was at the end of that trip while standing on the Cliffs of Moher, Mary Jo looked at Ron and asked "So, are you going to jump, or do I have to push you?" And they laughed and laughed.

Mary Jo delighted in becoming a grandma to Luke and Rory. She treasured her time with them, taking care to warm their blankets before naptime and decorating gingerbread houses with them at Christmas. The moments she spent with them reading together or visiting the Mukilteo Lighthouse park were among her favorites.

She is survived by her loving husband Ron; daughter Beth, son-in-law Chuck, son Dave, daughter-in-law Jen; grandsons Luke and Rory, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A service to honor Mary Jo will be held on February 17, 2024, at the Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home in Marysville, WA. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association.