Merry Jo Novak

Merry Jo Ward Novak “Josie”, age 80, passed away on May 18, 2014 in Sun City West, AZ. She was born on June 4, 1933 in Desloge, MO to Ernest and Hazel Ward. Married to John Novak on Febuary 6, 1960 in Kansas City, MO, Josie and John would remain devoted to each other for the next 54 years. Throughout her life Josie worked in for a variety of different organizations including The Missouri State Teacher Retirement System, The Missouri State Highway Department, for United Airlines and TWA. After coming to Arizona she also worked for Boswell Hospital, AT&T, Capricorn Travel Agency and as a volunteer at Sun City West Christian Church. Josie loved cooking, baking at Christmas, pumpkin pie blizzards, chocolate, collecting snowmen of all shapes and sizes, visiting with her friends and family, and family gatherings. She loved reminiscing about her & John’s trip to Europe and their cruises to Alaska, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean. Josie was a devoted Christian and was a former member of both Glendale Christian Church and Northwest Christian Church and a current member of Sun City West Christian Church. She was also a former member of the Starlight Women’s Club of Glendale. Josie is survived by her loving husband John Novak of Surprise, AZ; her two sons Kent Novak (wife Carol Paasch/Hartman) of Buckeye, AZ and Dale Novak (wife Vicki Kilbourn) or Phoenix, AZ; her brother Frank Ward (wife Marilyn) of Sun City West, AZ; her 7 grandchildren Ashlee, Sarah and Hannah Novak of Green Bay, WI, Kayla and Luke Novak of Phoenix, AZ, Dylan Hartman of Buckeye, AZ and Andrew Paasch/Hartman of Odessa, TX; and one great grandchild Keira Paasch of Odessa, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents and 2 sisters Ruth (Ward) Weiss of Lake Ozark, MO and Reta (Ward) Roembke of Sun City West, AZ. Services for Josie will take place on Friday, May 23, 2014 beginning at 10:00 am for visitation at Sun City West Christian Church, 20803 N 151st Ave, Sun City West, AZ 85375. Funeral service will follow the visitation at 11:00 am at church. She will be laid to rest at Resthaven Park Cemetery in Glendale, AZ. The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made to Sun City West Christian Church, 20803 N 151st Ave, Sun City West, AZ 85375, to help provide the church with audio and video equipment for the Fellowship Center. Condolence cards may be sent to Josie’s husband John Novak at Chaparral Winds, 16623 N West Point Pkwy #206, Surprise, AZ 85374.