Obituary: Mary Jo (Cervoni) Myslinksi

Mary Jo (Cervoni) Myslinski, aged 63 of Vernon, Connecticut, died peacefully at her mother's home surrounded by her family in Salem, Massachusetts on January 3, 2014.

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, teacher, and mentor, Mary Jo bravely battled a longtime, rare spinal tumor and left us far too young.

Mary Jo was born in Salem, Massachusetts the first of three daughters of Shirley Cervoni and the late Anthony Cervoni of Salem. Mary Jo attended the St. Thomas School in Peabody, Massachusetts through the eighth grade and went on to graduate Bishop Fenwick High School in 1968. Mary Jo graduated Salem State University in 1972. Mary Jo will be dearly missed by her husband of 43 years, Carl. Mary Jo and Carl were high school sweethearts and married in July of 1970. Before settling in Connecticut, Mary Jo and Carl lived in Van Buren, Maine, where her first daughter, Tara, was born. When her second daughter, Laura, started kindergarten, Mary Jo began working at Center Road Elementary School in Vernon as a paraprofessional, and later earned a Master's degree in education and a Sixth Year in Educational Leadership degree at the University of Connecticut. She eventually became the principal of Center Road School in 2001, where she remained devoted until her retirement in January 2010. She also served on the Board of Advisors at the Rockville Bank.

Her greatest joys in life were her family, especially her two young grandchildren, Leo and Lila Giard, teaching, and traveling. Her favorite trips were to Hawaii, Costa Rica, Paris, Bermuda, Italy, and Bora Bora.

Mary Jo is survived by her husband, Carl Myslinski of Vernon, Connecticut; her mother, Shirley Cervoni of Salem, Massachusetts; her daughter Tara Jo Myslinski and her husband Donald Giard of Swampscott, Massachusetts; her daughter Laura Petrone and her husband David of Suffield, Connecticut; her grandchildren Leo and Lila Giard; her step-grandchildren Kali and Wes Petrone; her sisters Ellen Snell of York, Maine and Carol Trembley and her husband Robert of Derby, Vermont;her uncle Robert Knapp and his wife Betty Jo of Boca Raton, Florida; her aunt Julia Baughan of Salem, Massachusetts; several cousins, nieces and nephews; and countless adoring friends and colleagues.

Visiting hours for friends and family will take place on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, between 4 and 8 o'clock p.m. at the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal Street, (cor. of North St.) in Salem, Massachusetts. A funeral mass, officiated by Monsignor John Myslinski, will be held at the St. Thomas Church at 1 Margin Street in Peabody, Massachusetts, at 9 o'clock a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2014, followed by the burial at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Salem. In lieu of flowers, please consider sending any donations to the Make a Wish Foundation, One Bullfinch Place, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02114- boston@massri.wish.org. For additional information or online guest book, please call 978 744 0497 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.