Mary Jo Schmit

A Mass to celebrate the life of Mary Jo (Joan) Schmit of Aurora Colorado, will be held Monday August 18th at 10:00 AM at Risen Christ Catholic Church, Denver Colorado. Mary Jo died Saturday July 25th at Denver Hospice Hospital. Father Paul Htut will officiate the mass.

Mary Jo was born October 14th, 1931 in North Carolina. Her family eventually settled in St Cloud Minnesota where she spent the majority of her childhood. The family lived in a home in downtown St. Cloud, currently the site of the Best Western Kelly Inn.

Mary Jo enjoyed a life full of activity. While in High School at Cathedral, she played basketball, volleyball and was in Drum Corps. After high school, Mary Jo worked for the telephone company where she met her lifelong friend of 71 years, Rita Snyder. She also studied X-ray and became an X-Ray technologist for North Memorial Hospital in Minneapolis. She eventually moved to Aurora Colorado where she went back to work with Bell Telephone until she retired.

While working at Bell, Mary Jo met her significant other Warren Churchwell. The two shared a life together for 30 years. They were Denver Bronco enthusiasts, and held season tickets to the Mile High Stadium. They also traveled the world together making forever memories. Many of Mary Jo’s travel pictures included Rita and Warren, forever friends. She was beyond adventurous and traveled all seven continents of the world. From sleeping on the beach, hiking, swimming, white water rafting, scuba, camping and an overall explorer, Mary Jo did it all.

For the past 15 years, Mary Jo was a resident at Springbrook Retirement and Assisted Living Community where she made many friends and enjoyed numerous activities.

She was a friend, sister and aunt who will be dearly missed. She is survived by her sisters Barb Marchwick of Minnesota, Cathy Schmit of Colorado and brother Don Schmit of Montana. She is also survived by her lifelong friend, Rita Synder. She was preceded in death by her parents Catherine (Tilley) and Lawrence Schmit; siblings, Pauly Oehrlein, Jim Schmit, John Schmit and Robert “Bob” Schmit.

Memorials to Denver Hospice are preferred in lieu of flowers.

A memorial service for Mary will be held Monday, August 18, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Risen Christ Catholic Parish, 3060 S Monaco St Pkwy, Denver, CO 80222.

Following the memorial service will be a committal service from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Olinger Hampden Mortuary & Cemetery, 8600 East Hampden Ave, Denver, CO 80231.