Mary Josephine Holik

Mary Josephine Holik 1928-2011 Mary Jo Holik passed away on January 29, 2011 after a prolonged and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Born in El Paso, Texas to Adin Allen and Margaret Whitfield Brown (Brownie and Tita), Mary Jo spent her early childhood in Parral, Chihuahua, a place she was fond of calling ‘La tierra de Dios y la capital del mundo’. Mary Jo moved back to El Paso as a teenager and attended Loretto Academy and Austin High School before enrolling at Texas Western College where she was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. She later attended and graduated from Saint Mary’s College at Notre Dame. In 1949, Mary Jo married William V. Holik of El Paso and they raised a family of five. They were married over 59 years until the passing of her beloved husband in 2008. Mary Jo’s life embodied the culture of El Paso, from being a Sun Carnival Duchess in 1947 to a member of the Pan American Round Table, to her several decades as a member of the El Paso Junior League. Her greatest love, however, and her greatest accomplishment was her family. Mary Jo presided as matriarch to a large and diverse group which has spread across the country and the world. All that have known Mary Jo can attest that she touched more lives with her unassuming kindness and selfless resolve than she could ever have imagined. In a time where accomplishment or intellect seem the attributes most admired, Mary Jo, or Jojo, as she is called by her family, became the most admired through her unquestioning love, her kindness and the grace she carried herself with. It is fitting that in her last years while she suffered the indignities of Alzheimer’s Disease she was given a nickname by her caretakers that perfectly captures the essence of Mary Jo. She was called ‘La Beautiful’. She is forever a graceful and dignified woman. Preceded in death by her husband, William V. Holik, she is survived by her sister Alyn Brown Morton and her brother, Irving James (Sonny) Brown, both of El Paso, and by her children: Marleen and Michael McCormack of El Paso, Bill Holik and Jo Runce of San Antonio, James Holik of Washington DC, Kathy and Armando Vega of El Paso and John and Pilar Holik of Ware, MA. She is survived by 13 grandchildren: Ben and Shea McCormack; Ryan, and Katie McCormack; Brenna, Jim, Beth and David Holik, Jonquil and Zak Goode; Adriana, Daniel, and Jessica Vega; and Steven Holik. Jojo is also survived by her longtime friend, companion and caregiver Leticia Valles, who like Mary Jo is tireless in her love and goodness. Mary Jo and her family are clearly blessed with the gift that is Leti. In addition, the family expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the people who took care of Jojo: Gloria Garcia, Armida Jurado, Nancy Martinez, Adriana Oropeza, and Juana Contreras. Thanks and appreciation to Hospice of El Paso. Funeral Services for Mary Jo will be held Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 12:00 noon at Sunset Funeral Home-West; 480 N. Resler, El Paso, Texas. Interment to follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Charitable contributions may be made to The Alzheimers Association-El Paso. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home-West.