The world became just a little bit smaller after Mary Jo Chadwick Wight, 85, passed away in North Logan, Utah, on Monday, July 18, 2022, when she was happily reunited with her beloved husband Ross.
Mary Jo was born in Ogden on July 25, 1936, to Mary Bertha Hoeft and Rulon Woodland Chadwick. She grew up in Ogden and was well-known as a young and avid baseball fan, but describes her “Camelot” as the summer childhood vacations playing with her younger sister Adriana at their grandparents’ farm in Vernal, Utah. It was during those early years when she started piano lessons and developed a tremendous love for music – a gift she joyfully shared with many of her children and grandchildren.
After her parents divorced and her mother married Leon Gardner, Mary Jo moved to Honeyville, Utah, where she attended Box Elder High School. It was there that she developed another love, for writing, and met her greatest love, Jerald Ross Wight. Shortly after graduating, they were married August 4, 1954 and together raised seven children while living in Germany, Utah, California, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
She loved spending time with her family and friends, playing and teaching piano lessons, writing, traveling, and continuing her education. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree from Boise State University in 1985. She especially enjoyed serving in the church, and many of her favorite memories were from a 21-month mission for the LDS Church in Estonia with her husband Ross. She made friends across the country and around the world, and maintained many of those friendships throughout her life. Regardless of who she met or where they were from, Mary Jo had an uncanny ability to piece together some form of a connection back to her family, which she called her “small world” stories, and was always excited to share these stories with her family.
She is survived by her children: Michael and Sharon Wight, Mark and JoAnn Wight, Lora Wight and Mike Weibel, Teri and Jay Olsen, Tami and Aaron Pyfer, Janna and Jeff Slye, and Jeri and Andrew Nyborg, 26 grandchildren, 25.5 great- grandchildren, stepsister Barbara Avondet, half-brother Larry Chadwick, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister, her stepfather, stepbrothers Spence, Boyd, Rex, and Ott Gardner, stepsister Jean Sorenson, and son-in-law Richard Knoll. She was also preceded in death by many beloved in-laws from both the Gardner and Wight family.
A viewing will be held 6 to 8 pm Friday, July 22, at Rogers & Taylor Funeral Home, 111 North 100 East, Tremonton. Funeral services will be at noon Saturday, July 23, with a viewing beforehand 10:30 to 11:30 am, at the LDS Chapel, 2620 West 6980 North, Honeyville. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband at Calls Fort Cemetery in Harper Ward, Utah.
We extend a sincere thank you to the staff of Maple Springs in North Logan, who provided loving care to Mary Jo; please know that she loved each of you dearly. Mary Jo would want everyone to remember her love of family and all things beautiful. Instead of gifts or donations, people are encouraged to make time to share their love with friends and family.
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