Mary Jo Martin,75, of Rochester MN passed away peacefully at Charter House on April 20, 2020.

Mary Jo was born April 18, 1945, in Washington DC to Dr. William J. and Mary Adams Martin, a time during World War II that peace seemed distant, and birth was a rare occasion for joy. Perhaps as a result, Mary Jo was characterized by stamina, resilience, and joy. The young family with three children in tow moved to Rochester in 1951, as her father completed a fellowship in infectious diseases and subsequently joined Mayo Clinic staff. Like her siblings, Mary Jo joined the Rochester Swim Club and displayed her stamina early by being the first member to continuously swim two miles when she was only 12. She graduated from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration as a proud "hotelie." She lived a successful professional life in San Francisco as an executive for nearly 30 years at two different international consulting firms, L&H and PKF. Mary Jo entered this professional world when few women did so, and ultimately became a vice president. She kindly offered her family the "comps" from her clients that she might otherwise use, such as stays at the Maui Prince Hotel in Hawaii.

Mary Jo loved her work, even as she developed symptoms of multiple sclerosis at age 52. And yet "she persisted" in her career development. She ultimately came home to Rochester to live with her mother, and eventually both joined the Charter House community, where she loved her apartment, the wonderful staff, and her fellow residents. Her elegant apartment was often the family home for Christmas and other holidays.

She is survived by her sister Julie of New York City, her brother "Billy" and his wife Joyce of Columbus, Ohio, her niece Colleen of Cincinnati, and her nephew Bill of New York. She will be missed.