Mary Jo Ann (Kern) Meyers

Mary Jo Ann (Kern) Meyers, age 80, of Willmar formerly Olivia, MN went to her heavenly home the morning of Saturday, May 25, 2024 at Copperleaf Serenity Suites in Willmar after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. A gathering of family and friends will be on Thursday, May 30, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a service for Mary Jo at 6:30 p.m. at Dirks-Blem Funeral Home in Olivia. A private family burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Willmar.

Mary Jo Ann was born on October 13, 1943 in Portland, Oregon to Theodore and Alice (Ridl) Kern. She graduated high school in Boise, Idaho and later moved to Olivia, Minnesota where she met her future husband, Ron. They were married on May 30, 1963 at the St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Olivia. They raised two daughters, Tracy and Susan. Mary Jo was involved in community activities such as the Olivia Arts Center, the local theater, and the St. Aloysius and Grace Churches. She worked at the Olivia telephone company, the dental office, had her own wallpapering and painting business for many years. She later worked at Terry’s Café and finally at Jackpot Junction as a restaurant supervisor for 15 years before retiring. Mary Jo enjoyed golf, reading, bridge, gardening, getting her nails done, and was a great cook. In recent years, she enjoyed the ‘little things’ like looking at the sky and sunsets, bird watching, the “green, green grass,” car rides, and family visits.

Mary Jo is survived by her daughters: Tracy (Curt) Hein of Kandiyohi, MN and Susan (Jason) Miller of Fort Dodge, IA; her grandchildren: Nicholas (Maddie) Hein, Kendall Hein, Hannah, Zeke, Max, Morgan & Andrew Miller; her great-grandchildren, Theodore Hein, Thomlind Struchen, and another on the way in August; her siblings: Tess Clark, Ted Kern, Fran Rombaugh, Mark Kern (Peggy) and Liz (Bill) Reich; and many nieces and nephews. Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ron in 1998; infant son, John; brother, Steve Kern; parents-in-law, Gerald and Genevieve Meyers; brothers-in-law: Junior, Gary, and Carl; and sister-in-law, Nancy.