Mary Miller

Mary Jo Miller, 97, passed away peacefully at her home on April 1, 2018 Easter Sunday, one day before her 98^th birthday. Her sons John and Dan were at her side. A mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, Seymour, 10962 County Hwy O, Shullsburg, at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018. Father Joji Reddy will officiate. Burial will be at the church cemetery. Family and friends may call at the Melby Funeral Home, 1245 North Water Street, in Platteville from 4:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday April 5, 2018 with a parish rosary at 3:45 p.m. Friends may also call from 10:30 a.m. until time of service at the church on Friday. Memorials may be made to the Mary Jo Miller Memorial Fund. Online condolences may be made at www.melbyfh.com.

Mary Jo was born on April 2, 1920 to Frank and Frances (Armstrong) Fitzsimons. She attended school at Holland School to the eighth grade. Mary Jo married Delvin Miller on August 2, 1944 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Darlington. To this union 6 children were born and raised on the family farm. Mary Jo and Delvin farmed all their lives. She became a widow in 1967 at the age of 47. She continued farming with the help of her son John and raising her family.

Mary Jo was active in Our Lady of Hope Seymour Church and their Altar Society. She taught religion and sang in the choir for many years. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-and great-great grandmother. Mary Jo was an active member in the Belmont Bit and Bridle Saddle Club for many years. She had a love of horses that she and Delvin passed on to their children. Music was a very important part of her life. One of her favorite things to do was make music with her extended family at reunions and get-togethers. She played several instruments and was an active member of the Belmont Kitchen Band for many, many years going to nursing homes and parties to entertain. She was the piano player of the group.

Mary Jo is survived by 6 children, Jerry (Joan)Miller, John Miller, Joni (Jerry) Holtz, Mary (Tom) Morrissey, all of Belmont; Kathy (Gene) Riechers of Darlington, Dan Miller of Vian, Oklahoma; 14 grandchildren; 27 great grandchildren; and 9 great-great grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Shirley Fitzsimons; and brother-in-law, Pat Cassidy; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Delvin; her parents; four brothers, Charles/Bud (Mary) Fitzsimons, John (Audrey) Fitzsimons, Ed Fitzsimons, Bill Fitzsimons; and four sisters, Marguerite (Sam) Ellickson, Eileen (Bob) Graves, Monica (Bill)Dorman, and Jane Cassidy; her in-laws Donald (Della)Miller, Dwight (Helen) Miller, Dayle Miller, Dorothy (Norman) Sue.

Thank you to Peggy Steger and her staff of Sentinel Health Care, to the staff at St. Croix Hospice of Platteville, especially Jodi and Leslie, and Marion Olson. Their personal loving care of Mary Jo the past few years was greatly appreciated and special thanks to her son John for his love and care of mom that allowed her to live out her life in her home.