Mary Jo Murray

Mary Jo Murray, ne Tippett, age 98, passed away peacefully on October 17 at South County Hospital. She was born in Advance, Missouri on August 21, 1921, the daughter of Oscar and Nelle Cawthon Tippett. In 1938, at the age of seventeen, Mary Jo began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in Advance, Missouri. In 1978 She retired after 40 years of teaching as a reading teacher in Dansville, NY with a Masters degree in Education from the University of West Virginia. Although teaching was her profession, Mary Jo will always be remembered for her passionate devotion to nature and her knowledge and love of birds. She participated in, and occasionally led, birding adventures in many locales including Kenya in her late 80s and Cuba when she was 90. For decades, Mary Jo led weekly Rhode Island bird walks where she shared her expertise with other birders. Humorously, she always reassured her fellow hikers as they entered unfamiliar woods, "Don't worry, I've got permission." Whether this was true or not is now a moot point. Mary Jo was predeceased by her husband Merrill, her son Ronald Glenn Murray, son-in-law Richard E. Sullivan, and her eight brothers and sisters. She has a surviving daughter JoAnn H. Sullivan, granddaughter Malika Stelik, Malika's husband Todd, and three great-grandchildren Maura, Sienna, and Cyrus. Also remaining are a step-granddaughter Aileen Sullivan Zogby, Aileen's husband Matt, and their sons Peter and Daniel. All of whom she loved and touched deeply by serving as a role model of patience, fortitude, good spirits and by providing lots of encouragement. Visiting hours will be at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia Street, Wakefield, Tuesday, 4 6 pm followed by a service at 6 pm. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island at https://asri.org/