Mary Jo Hadaway

Amory - Mary Jo Hadaway, 80, started her new life in heaven on June 23, 2020. She was born on January 14, 1940, to the late Elige Thomas Isbell and Mary Lummie Cannon Isbell.

The day after Mary Jo passed, the first thing to be done was to open the letter Mary Jo specifically instructed her children to read while they were making her burial arrangements. A gift in itself, the letter recounted history and gave precious advice. Some excerpts from the letter are in quotes within her obituary.

She grew up in Amory and graduated with the AHS class of 1958. …"I cannot remember a time back then when we did not go to church. I can never say they (my parents) did not try to teach me right from wrong. The only time my dad ever spanked me was for crying in church …. I became a model child in church…”.

She gave her heart to Jesus while attending a Revival at Amory First Free Will Baptist Church. She talked about her Sunday School Teacher …."I could not get away from her. Every time the invitation was given for weeks she was right there where I was, punching me. It made me so mad. But she became my hero after I was saved. I thank God that she cared enough”…. Her church was her extended family and through the years she served as a kindergarten teacher, instructor, and in other positions.

She worked at Amory Garment and Amory Marble Works. Mary Jo met the love of her life, Doyle, and together they were blessed with four children. They moved a couple times during their lives together, yet returned to Amory to retire.

Above all, she loved God, then her family and church family. Mary Jo was a strong willed, loving lady, who had a heart of gold. She had a sense of humor and was a true jokester. She loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren and her family meant the world to her. She liked to listen to Church Hymns, sew, cook for others, and garden. Some of her closest friends, who family referred to as the “Three Musketeers”, were Faye Ray and Linda Knight.

Mary Jo loved her family and did all she could to help show them God’s love. This was most important to her. …“Teach your children while they are young. As they get older it is too late. Proverbs 22:6 says “Bring up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” I believe every word that God says. If I don’t there is no need to say I believe any of it. He is faithful.”…

…“If your heart is not right with God, please bow your head right now and give everything to Him and you will have a better life and you can meet me in Heaven. I’ll be looking for each of you. Love yall ! Mom.”

Mary Jo is survived by her daughters, Christy Brown, Amory, Carol Anne Bilbrey (Joey), Florence, AZ; sons, Steve D. Hadaway (Tammy), Smithville, Thomas Hadaway, Gardner, IL; grandchildren, McKayla Jones (Alex), Allie Brown (J.D. Rutledge), Maddi Brown, Ashley Fadden (Collin), Joseph Bilbrey, Savannah Bilbrey, Caleb Bilbrey, Spence Hadaway, Alaina Hadaway, Dylan Hadaway; great-grandchildren, Levi Jones, Mason Jones, Beau Jones, Lincoln Rutledge, and one more on the way; special friends, Faye Ray, and Linda Knight.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Doyle Hadaway.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 1:00 pm, at Amory First Freewill Baptist Church, Amory, MS, with Bro. Chris Mitchell. Burial will follow in Masonic Cemetery, Amory, and pallbearers will be Alex Jones, J.D. Rutledge, Kenny Isbell, Collin Fadden, Caleb Bilbrey; Teddy, Eddie, and Spence Hadaway.

Visitation for family and friends will be on Saturday night, June 27, 2020 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm at the E. E. Pickle Funeral Home in Amory.

Memories and condolences may be shared with her family at eepicklefuneralhome.com