Marian Josephine Pappas, longtime Rochester resident, died peacefully on Saturday December 29 at the age of 91.

Mrs. Pappas was born in Rochester on February 19, 1927.

In 1949 she married Charles Pappas, who preceded her in death in February 2018. Mary Jo and Charles would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2019.

Mary Jo is survived by a large and loving family, including son, Brian Pappas (Brenda) of Winchester, MA; daughters, Laurie VanDerHeyden and Barbara Hexum (Tom) of Rochester; and son, Charlie Pappas (Brian) of Minneapolis. She was also a devoted grandmother to Mary Ellen VanDerHeyden (Bryan), David VanDerHeyden, Emily Campbell (Stuart), Maddie VanDerHeyden, Abigail and Charlie Hexum, and Nicholas and Charlotte Pappas.

In addition to husband Charles, Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents Stanley and Marian Gerlicher and brother John Gerlicher.

Mary Jo had a love for classical music. She attended Hamline University as a music major and was an accomplished violinist with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra for much of her life.

A funeral service for Mary Jo will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 12 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the River Park Chapel. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.

The Mary Jo Pappas family would like to thank the amazing and dedicated caregivers from Home Instead Senior Care and Seasons Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers contributions to the Alzheimer's Association, Seasons Hospice of Rochester, or St. John's Catholic Church of Rochester.