Mary Jo Pafford Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

On Thursday, February 4, 2021, Mary Jo Pafford (Hargis) passed away at the age of 87. Mary was born in the town of Camden in western Tennessee on April 19, 1933. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, William Pafford, her parents Hazel and Hobert Hargis, and her brother James Hargis. Those left to cherish her memory include her son Randy and his wife Jill, her other son Stan, her siblings Sarah, Linda, and Gary, and her numerous friends. In her last years, she also made a wonderful impression on the caretakers she met after moving to North Carolina in April 2018. Mary loved many things, including her children, her many friends and family, her wonderful little dog Penny, her Kentucky Wildcats college basketball team, and cooking for family and friends. And she loved being active and outdoors. She was an excellent high-school basketball player who was selected as a district all-star player in Camden, Tennessee. She loved tending the flowers in her yard and could often be spotted planting new flowers or hunting down errant weeds that dared to take root in her flower beds. In her later years her back bothered her, but that rarely slowed her down. She was a dedicated swimmer who was very proud to be the first person to swim over 1,000 miles in Munsey United Methodist Church’s pool in Johnson City. And the cooking! The family believes that at one time or another almost everybody in Johnson City enjoyed the decadent baked goodies that she brought to social functions at East Tennessee State University or to members of her Sunday school class at Munsey United Methodist Church. Many diet plans were put on hold when Mary’s desserts were served. Mary took pride keeping herself and her home looking nice. Everyone who met her commented on what a sharp dresser she was. She drew praise for her apartment in Abbotswood at Stonehenge in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lived until early 2020. In fact, when Abbotswood wanted pictures of their apartments for their website, most of the sample pictures of her floor plan were taken directly from her apartment! It always looked great and was immaculately kept. The family thanks the staff at Livewell Coker House in Chapel Hill and Heartland Hospice, who took good care of her during her final days. Prior to her move to Livewell, the staff at Abbotswood at Stonehenge were also incredibly supportive. And many thanks to the dog walkers who helped with Penny from 2018 until early 2020. They did more than just walk Penny -- they visited with Mary and were her friends; if anything seemed wrong with Penny or Mary, they would call immediately. A Graveside Service for Mary Pafford will be conducted on Friday, February 19, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. at Monte Vista Memorial Park in Johnson City, Tennessee. Those wishing to attend are asked to meet at the cemetery no later than 1:50 P.M. and to please wear a mask due to the COVID-19 virus situation. Officiating the service will be Pastor Carol Wilson. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Saving Grace, a dog rescue organization in Raleigh, NC. Saving Grace is where mom’s beloved dog Penny came from! https://savinggracenc.org/ Memories and condolences may be shared at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com Tetrick Funeral Services, 3001 Peoples Street, Johnson City, TN 37604, (423) 610-7171, is honored to serve the Pafford family.

Mary Jo Pafford

April 19, 1933 - February 4, 2021

Obituary & Service

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Mary Jo Pafford

April 19, 1933 - February 4, 2021

Obituary & Service

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