Mary Jo Stewart

When you throw a pebble into a body of water, it pushes water out of the way, making a ripple. As the rock falls deeper into the river, the water near the surface rushes back to fill in the space it left behind. The water usually rushes back too enthusiastically, causing a splash - and the bigger the rock, the bigger the splash and even more ripples.

Mom was The Pebble in many people's lives. How often did she approach us with an opportunity to serve? Many times the opportunity was outside our (your) comfort zone and like the water, we would enthusiastically accept the opportunity and not only change our life but the lives of all we served.

Born in Georgetown IL, daughter of Carl Cunningham and Ethel Wodetski Cunningham, mom was a unique blend of Irish tenant farmer and Polish entrepreneur and what you got was a fun crazy lady right from 21 jump street.

Mom served the community in school and the Methodist Church. She took great care of her brothers and sister (Carl Ed, Ruth Ann & Roger Jeff) like making sure a bee would not sting Ruth Ann--by beating a chicken to death over her head.

Mom received her undergraduate and masters degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She was active in 4-H house and continued to serve on the 4-H house board for decades. Can't tell you how many times she made us go to the University and sit with the coeds while she discussed finances, recruitment and scholarships.

After graduating from the University of Illinois, she travelled to Peru with the IFYE program. While in Peru, mom taught various subjects, cooking and sewing as well as food cultivation and storage to the people of Cusco. She also embraced the culture, learning more than she taught. Mom would gladly share her experiences thru slide shows at schools and churches when she came home. As her kids, we had to sit through more of these slideshows than should be allowed by Child Protective Services.

Her career took her to Perry County. Mary Jo was the extension advisor for the county and taught baking and gardening to the community. She was touted as an excellent baker of cakes and pies. Mary Jo was set up by friends to meet her future husband James Stewart at a picnic. Her responsibility to pitch-in was to bring paper plates. While Jim was disappointed in not being able to try her baking at the picnic, the meeting led to marriage. The wedding took place from what we have been told as the hottest day ever in Georgetown, June 17th, 1962.

Jim and Mary Jo, shortly after being married, moved to Alaska where they taught Aleut and Kuskowagmiut Eskimos in school. Again, she learned about the people and embraced the culture more than teaching eskimos. Serving 2 years in the program Mary Jo and Jim returned to Decatur IL to start their family. Now the slide show presentations were about Alaska and Peru and the knowledge that was gained by all was insightful as well as entertaining.

She continued to serve. From Lay preacher and Sunday school teacher at Christ United Methodist Church to serving as a representative to the Methodist Conference at the State Level, while raising two sons, Mike and Greg. (Mike always believed he was the favorite but it really was Greg)

She restarted her career as the Specialist for The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Macon County. She would help low income families learn about healthy eating, shopping on a budget, cooking and physical activity. She had a unique gift that empowered participants to reach higher and lift themselves and families out of rent subsidized housing into home ownership, attend college or trade schools and helped families in ways that are unfathomable, all by providing knowledge and skills to improve the health of all family members. She would test recipes on us from food that she found on sale at Aldi and Kroger. The week she bought a case of SPAM and fixed it breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week was cause enough for us to learn how to bake ourselves.

This led to her being lifted to County Extension Advisor and Queen of Macon County 4-H. As extension advisor, she had her greatest influence on more people than we can count. She coached many in extension on how to be better by being willing to help others. Not sure how many Leaders, 4-H members, staff and innocent bystanders she effected, but for those that knew her got the standard Mary Jo statement that was some version of "I am so glad to see you, I have an opportunity I think you would be great at.." And from there who knows what adventure you would be headed on. Not sure if anyone declined the opportunity but if they did mom would find another "opportunity" for them to succeed.

Being a life time STL Cardinal fan she had an interesting week driving Ernie Banks around the State of Illinois to raise money for the State 4-H office. She introduced me to Mr Cub on the last day, and he told me that after a week of listening to mom, he may have become a Cardinals fan as well. Can't make this stuff up!

All the honors, awards and good deeds are too many to list as they took a lifetime to acquire and would take a lifetime to tell.

Reflecting on her life and knowing all the ripples she created, it is impossible to imagine the collective force of those ripples. But, be assured her influence was more powerful than a tidal wave.

Smile because she lived.

Cherish her memory and let it live on, live life to your fullest, and just say yes when you are presented with an opportunity because behind it, mom is asking you for a favor.

Mom left us in her sleep on the morning of January 26th, 2021.

Mary Jo was preceded in death by Her Husband James N Stewart and Brother Carl Edward Cunningham. She is survived by her sister Ruth Ann Maloney, brother Roger Jeff Cunningham, son Mike (Barb) Stewart and son Greg (Katie) Stewart, Grandsons Jack, Sam and Reid Stewart.

Service TBD but it will include bourbon at families request.