Mary Jo “Jody” Morris Santo born August 23, 1928 in Coleman, TX. Died May 21, 2022, Ponder, TX. She was the daughter of Willie Frank And Stella Frances Morris who preceded her in death as well as her five siblings.

She graduated from Wichita Falls High School in 1946 and shortly thereafter started working at the Shepperd Air Force base PX where she met a GI from Newark, NJ, Eugene Santo. When he was finished serving and was leaving to return to NJ, she went with him. She moved into a women’s boarding house and took some classes at Barbizon School of Modeling. She was slender and statuesque, and was always beautifully groomed and dressed. She and Gene married on August 22, 1948, daughter Sharon was born in 1952. Jody worked for RCA while Gene took business classes to become an auditor. She worked there until the birth of her second child and son Joseph. A few years later they moved to their final residence which was in Nutley, NJ.

She learned how to become a phenomenal Italian cook from Gene’s mother and aunts, in fact she was a much better cook then most native Italians. Jody was an accomplished seamstress. She designed and sewed most of her own clothes as well as her daughter’s, she was creative, loved to write and garden. She had a talent for interior design as well. In 1969 she went to work for Major Products in Little Ferry, NJ which was a company founded by a boyhood friend of Gene’s. She became the plant manager, and when he opened another plant in Las Vegas in 2000, he sent her there to train people and get the place up and running She enjoyed dividing her time between Las Vegas, TX, and NJ, as well as hitting up the casinos.

Some of her fondest memories were spent at Lake Possum Kingdom at her parents’ cabin. She enjoyed fishing with her Dad, fish fry’s, the big sleeping porch and spending time with the family When Gene passed away in 2003, she sold her home in NJ and returned to her beloved TX permanently. She was a devoted daughter to her parents, whom she loved and revered. She also took care of them both prior to their passing and said that was her greatest honor and privilege to have done that. She loved spending time with her family, particularly her grandchildren as well as her nieces and nephews. She was kind and loving, the best mother one could have ever had, and we will miss her forever.

She joined Ponder United Methodist Church in 2012 and was an active member. 

She is survived by her daughter Sharon Paladino (Michael), grandchildren Jason Paladino, Jennifer LeViseur, Quentin and Conor Santo, great-grandsons Gunnar, Callan and Forrest LeViseur, niece Kathy Stephens, nephew Jimmy Jenkins. Joe Santo, Hannah, Alex & Cassie.  

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/mary-santo/obituary/

Copy