Mary Jo Brown

Our loving mother, Mary Jo Robinson Brown, 90, went to the other side of the veil on January 14, 2023 in Caldwell, Idaho. She was born to Blanche Tucker and George Anderson on December 11, 1932. Mary Jo was raised in Tallahassee, Florida by her grandparents, Marion and Effie Tucker. As a child she learned the value of hard work by scrubbing floors, doing housework and sewing. Working hard and being with her two older brothers, Ray and Gordon (Dud) helped her to be strong and tough. Mary Jo learned to stick up for herself if she was teased about her family’s last name of Tucker or her full lips. She may have given a boy a bloody nose with her right cross after being teased.
Around age 15, Mary Jo moved to Arizona to be with her mother and step-father, Joseph Meyer and younger brother, Corky. After graduating from high school, she met William Robinson on a blind date. When he left to work as a lumberjack, he would write beautiful letters to help convince Mary Jo to marry him. The letters worked, Mary Jo and William Arwin Robinson (Bill) were married August 29th 1953 in Arizona.
Once they were married, they lived in Alaska while William was in the army. Mary Jo had many hardships living in their 21 foot trailer that had pipes that would freeze and blankets that would freeze to the wall.  The greatest joy in Alaska was the birth of their oldest daughter, Evette. The greatest losses were the death of their two infant babies, Sheryl Ann and Christopher Kyle.
After William’s military service, they moved to Florida where son, William Anthony (Rob), and daughter, Deirdre (Dee) were born. Their family was complete with the birth of their son, Keith in New Jersey.  
She found great joy in family, friends and all were welcome. In California, her recently widowed sister-in-law, Joan, and two nephews (Rowan and Kerwin) stayed with their family. Richard and Marcia Robinson with their son Kenneth also stayed with them. She also took care of her mother, Blanche. Mary Jo often reached out to others in need.
Mary Jo was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved the gospel and it was a comfort to her all of her life. She had numerous callings where she shared her love of the Lord with others. After the death of her husband, Bill, she served a full-time mission in the Washington D.C. mission. While serving a mission she met her future daughter-in-law, Cara and her future sister-in-law, Adonna.
December 17, 1994 Mary Jo and Cleon Brown were married. They resided in Lindon, Utah, where they loved family and friends and served many in the area. Mary Jo crocheted many blankets for friends, family members and neighbors.
Mary Jo was preceded in death by:  William Arwin Robinson (husband), Cleon Brown (husband), Sheryl Ann (daughter), Christopher Kyle (son) Rebecca Hill (granddaughter) Paula Robinson (daughter-in-law), Raymond Evans (brother), Gordon (Dud) Evans (brother), Marion (Corky) Meyer (brother) and Margaret Imogene Evans (sister).
Mary Jo is survived by children Evette (Gary) Hill, Bill Robinson, Deidre (Jim) Perry, and Keith (Cara) Robinson and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 12:00 pm at Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, Idaho.

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