Mary Jo Menold

Mary Jo Menold, age 76, passed peacefully on Saturday, November 6, 2021. She was a loving, joyful, and bright beacon to all who knew her as a teacher, colleague, friend, sister, mother, and wife. She was the firstborn child of Walter Francis Martin and Josephine "Jo" Anne (Currie) Martin, and a devoted sister of Carolyn Dickerson and Walter Martin.

The daughter of a Naval Aviator, Mary Jo adapted to frequently moving to diverse locations, including Guam, Newfoundland, Pensacola, and Wayzata. At the University of Minnesota, she studied education and found her calling as a teacher. Her military affiliation steered her to the Air Force ROTCs Angel Flight, where she met William "Buzz" Menold, a young ROTC student and her future husband of 52 years. After graduation, Mary Jo got a job in Anaheim, CA, teaching elementary school and cruised around in a black-topped red Ford Mustang. Meanwhile, Buzz completed his military training and joined the Air Force as an officer. Mary Jo and Buzz were married the following year in September 1967.

As a young military family, Mary Jo and Buzz completed numerous tours of duty in Colorado, Nebraska, Hawaii, and North Dakota. During this time Mary Jo raised her young children, Christopher, Daniel, and Jessica; and bonded with lifelong Air Force family friends. After seven years of service in the Air Force, Mary Jo supported and encouraged Buzzs decision to leave and join the State Departments Foreign Service. She orchestrated family moves between Northern Virginia; Bonn, Germany; and The Hague, Holland. Mary Jo cherished living abroad in 1980s Europe with her family. She especially loved visiting new countries, touring castles, wandering historic sites, and discovering different cultures, art, music, and food. After the children enrolled in college, Mary Jo and Buzz enjoyed a final epic Foreign Service adventure when they moved to Moscow, Russia. She delighted in traveling the former Soviet Union, shopping the bazaars of Moscow, and enjoying Russian food, vodka, music, and art. On one historic morning in 1993, Mary Jo and Buzz witnessed Russian tanks driving two blocks past their apartment to fire on the countrys parliament building seized by rebel forces in a coup attempt!

After a lifetime of moving, a house situated on a small community pond in Burke, Virginia became the familys sanctuary. Mary Jo enjoyed putting down roots, applying her natural artistic talents to remodeling the house and perfecting the landscaping. She loved sunsets over the pond and watching the antics of the geese, ducks, turtles, cardinals, squirrels, and other creatures thriving on its banks.

Throughout her life, Mary Jo pursued her passion for teaching. She served as a devoted elementary school teacher and English as a Second Language teacher in various schools while raising her family at home and abroad. She eventually retired after serving a 20-year career as a Fairfax County elementary teacher. She loved her students and colleagues in the profession, enjoying many a Friday "teachers night" gathering. Her students cared for her too, and it was not uncommon for her to be randomly hugged by teens in the mall, who excitedly turned to their parents saying, "This is Mrs. Menold, my elementary school teacher!" On many school day mornings, Mary Jos children awoke to the smell of fresh-baked cookies that Mary Jo declared were for "her kids." But before her children grabbed a warm treat, they would clarify whether the batch was for her children, or the school kids in her class. Fortunately, there were always plenty of cookies to share with everyone!

Above all, Mary Jo delighted in her childrens marriages and the arrival of three wonderful grandchildren, William, Madeline and Hannah. She was a loving mom to her three children, who witnessed the life-long love she shared with her husband. She is with him now, and we cherish and celebrate her legacy of joy, adventure, and love.

A memorial will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Alexandria, VA at 11 a.m., Friday, January 21, 2022. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed at https://wpc-alex.org/mary-josephine-menold-memorial-service/

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association at https://www.alz.org; "

Donations may also be made to the Westminster Weekday Preschool (memo: Preschool Scholarship Fund), at 2701 Cameron Mills Rd, Alexandria, VA 22302 "