Mary Joe Esry

ESRY - Mary Joe Pickett Esry passed away Monday, May 2, 2016 after a long struggle with declining health. She passed at home in Jacksonville, Florida, with a son on one side and daughter-in-law on the other. She is survived by: her sons Don and Jim; their wives Meg and Linda, respectively; and three grandchildren Kaylin, Austin and Skye. She was eagerly anticipating the addition of a granddaughter-in-law, Ashley Grimes, who has agreed to marry the grandson, Austin, later this month. She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald H Esry; her mother Susie Majors Pickett and her father Elmo Alston Pickett.

Mary Joe lived a full life. She was born September 20, 1943 in Jacksonville, Florida to proud and loving parents, Elmo and Sue Pickett. She attended North Shore United Methodist Church with her parents. When very young she enjoyed tap dancing and dreamed of being a dancer. Her father, one fine day, took her out with him and when she came home she had pockets full of money. Mary Joe proudly told her horrified mother that her father and his friends pitched coins to her as tips when she tap danced for them. A knee injury in 3rd grade ended that aspiration (and though her mother had already ditched the idea: ended a potential source of income, too.) Mary Joe loved music and played the piano. Years later she would join her church choirs and enjoyed singing for worship services as well as on holidays and special occasions.

She was a proud graduate of Andrew Jackson Senior High School, class of 1961. She made many wonderful lifelong friends growing up in Jacksonville.

Following High school she went to the University of Florida where she met a tall senior engineering and ROTC student, Donald H Esry, who swept her off her feet! They fell in love and were married June 9, 1962. They wasted no time starting a family as Donny was born February 9, 1963, and then Jimmy Joe was born August 15, 1964.

After Don’s service in the US Army, the young family returned to Mary Joe’s roots in Jacksonville. Don worked for several engineering firms while Mary Joe raised the boys and took classes at Jacksonville University.

In 1976 the family moved to Tallahassee. Mary Joe was able attend Florida State University where she completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. As her sons grew, she worked as an elementary school teacher. She was an active member of St Paul’s United Methodist Church in Tallahassee. She loved her friends in the Burleigh Law Sunday School Class, enjoyed singing in the Covenant Singers Choir, and serving with Circle #5, and the Care Callers. She was a member of Candytuft Garden Club and the Tallahassee Christian Women’s Club. While in Tallahassee, Mary Joe and Don added onto their house so they could take care of her aging mother and later her aging uncle.

When Jim and Linda’s girls were still small, Jim took a position with Gulf Breeze Methodist Church and they left Tallahassee for one of the farthest places west on Florida’s panhandle. It wasn't long before Don & Mary Joe decided to follow them so that they could be closer to their granddaughters. Both families worshiped with the Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church and later, when Jim & Linda left Gulf Breeze, Don and Mary Joe attended First United Methodist Church in Pensacola.

Mary Joe and Don enjoyed trips to many places including Hawaii and Banff, as well as cruises to Alaska, up the Mississippi River, and throughout the Caribbean. Jim got a job in Alabama and moved his family while the girls where in High School. The youngest granddaughter, Skye, moved back in with Mary Joe and Don for her last year of high school.

Mary Joe had broken her thigh bone when in Tallahassee, but once in Gulf Breeze she had further medical problems: she overcame a difficult battle with cancer; a second hip replacement; a knee replacement; and numerous surgeries. But the most difficult challenge happened in the year they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary: while getting ready to go to Sunday School, Don died suddenly from a heart attack. Her granddaughter, Kaylin, dropped everything and moved in with her for the next year.

Mary Joe’s health continued to decline. She needed more care than her granddaughter could provide. Her eldest son (named Don after his father) wanted to take care of his mother, but she didn't want to move ‘up North - where it snows all year ‘round!’ He decided to leave North Carolina and move to Florida. Mary Joe had kept in contact with her High School friends in Jacksonville, FL. Don Jr. decided to move to Jacksonville so his mother could be closer to her lifelong friends. He looked for weeks for a one story house that had wide doors for a wheelchair, an accessible bathroom, and a roll-in shower. Over a month later, Don’s Real Estate Agent found a semi-custom Home Builder (Landon Homes) who would a home with a floorpan that allowed Mary Joe to have all that she needed and a little more. The house was built, Mary Joe moved into her son’s home, and she started enjoying monthly luncheons with her High School friends. While living with Don and Meg she enjoyed worshiping at the Jacksonville Church of Christ where she made many new friends.

Mary Joe received excellent healthcare in Jacksonville. But her health continued to decline and in September of 2015 she was accepted as a patient of Heartland Hospice. Heartland was generous with their services and Mary Joe enjoyed seeing the staff who worked with her on a regular basis: Faustino and Tineshia, her RN’s; Leonard, her Home Health Aide; Jennifer and Jen, her Social Workers; and Corey, Heartland’s Spiritual Adviser. She fell ill at the end of April and died on May 2, 2016. Heartland supported Don and Meg while they cared for Mary Joe - especially during her last week of life. Hospice has continued to help the family during this time of grieving with phone calls, texts, and helpful information on how to navigate the end-of-life issues and situations. Don and Meg are extremely grateful for their help, as well as the outpouring of love and support from Mary Joe’s friends - both those who have known her for a long time, and those who grew to know and love her after she returned to Jacksonville.

In lieu of flowers, Mary Joe asked for donations to be made to the United Methodist Children’s home in Enterprise, FL. The family requests that donations to Heartland Hospice in Jacksonville, FL as they provided wonderful care for Mary Joe and support for her family.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 14, 2:30pm at the Jacksonville Church of Christ, 6118 Bowden Rd, Jacksonville FL 32216.