Mary Jo Kiehle passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at age 71. Daughter of Marie Eleanor Shepard (deceased) and Joseph Henry Shepard (deceased), Mary Jo was born and raised in San Diego, CA, and was a proud member of the first graduating class of the University of California, Irvine. After graduation she traveled Europe before beginning a long and distinguished career in education. Mary Jo's last assignment was her longest, teaching for 22 years at East Cobb Middle School and impacting thousands of students' lives. Along the way, Mary Jo married and became an eternally proud and dedicated mother to her two sons: Andrew Kiehle, husband to Michelle, who became Mary Jo's dear friend; and Tyler Kiehle, husband to Sarah and father of Mary Jo's grandchildren, Jack and Cecilia. One of Mary Jo's greatest joys was becoming a devoted grandmother. The other was doting on her faithful canine companion, Kona. Mary Jo cared for all animals and many family pets over the years, but Kona was closest to her heart and was by her side to the end.
A Memorial Service will be held April 23 at 11 a.m., followed by a reception, at H.M. Patterson & Son-Canton Hill Chapel located at 1157 Old Canton Road, Marietta, GA 30068. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the Atlanta Humane Society.