Mary Jo Elliott

Mary Jo was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas on July 15, 1942 to Clarence and Alma Wilson. She spent her childhood in Hot Springs where they lived behind the furniture store her father owned, Wilson Furniture. Both of her parents ran the store and she watched and learned from her mother and father how to buy and sell furniture and antiques. Mary Jo graduated from Hot Springs High School where she was captain of the cheer team. In addition to cheerleading, she loved to dance and spent much of her time outside of school water skiing on Lake Hamilton.

After graduation, Mary Jo left Hot Springs to attend the University of Arkansas where she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. She transferred to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock upon the death of her father where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education. It was a visit back to Hot Springs where she met and fell in love with William Bailey Elliott, Sr. who was working there at the time. Excited to start their lives together, they moved to Houston so that Bailey could learn the construction business. It was in Houston where they had their first son William Bailey Elliott, Jr. They then moved to Austin so that Bailey Sr. could start his own construction business, Bailey Elliott Construction. Soon after they had their second son Bradford Walton Elliott. Mary Jo spent many hours in the beginning working in the office with her husband helping him start his business which grew rapidly and to this day is well known in the Austin community. Mary Jo then started a very successful interior design business using the skills she learned from her mother’s experience in the furniture business. She had a talent for decorating not only in her business but also her home. Mary Jo also managed to find time to play tennis at the country club and entertain in the evenings all while raising two very busy and quite energetic boys. She and Bailey Sr. loved to travel the world and would travel around “like movie stars” as she used to say. Bailey was the love of her life and she looked forward to every evening when he would get home so that they could have time together before enjoying a family meal she proudly cooked. She always started her day with completing the crossword published in the daily newspaper. She had an extreme passion for reading and could go through an entire book in a day. Though she loved her different jobs, her books and social engagements, her favorite roll was that of a grandparent. “JoJo” was always there when her grandchildren needed her and she loved nothing more than to have them stay with her or attend their sporting events.

Anyone who met Mary Jo never forgot her. She was full of life. She made you laugh. She wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. Mary Jo was described to many as a “hoot”. She had a lot of spunk and always had a good time. She made everyone around her laugh. We will all miss her funny sayings like “I love my life”, “Well, who are their people?”, “I’m cool man” and the very favorite phrase of all when she greeted you “Well, HELLO DARLING”.

Mary Jo was a strong wife, amazing mother, coolest mother-in-law and wonderful grandmother. She was extremely proud of her two boys, her five grandchildren and all of their accomplishments.

Mary Jo is survived by her sons Bailey Elliott Jr. and wife Julie, Brad Elliott and wife Courtney, five grandchildren Ford, Duke, Reese, Brayden and Bailey Elliott. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Gail Elliott Adams. Mary Jo was preceded in death by her husband, William Bailey Elliott, Sr., her father and mother, Clarence and Alma Wilson, sister Carolyn Wilson, brother-in-law Charles Adams and nephew Clark Adams.

A private family burial will take place at Austin Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mary Jo's memory may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center , https://gifts.mdanderson.org/default.aspx?tsid=10503.