Mary Jo Devitt

Mary Devitt Obituary The family of Mary Jo Devitt announces her passing on July 10 in San Luis Obispo-her home for more than 60 years. Born in San Francisco on December 14, 1941, Mary Jo attended Belmont's College of Notre Dame and San Francisco State College before graduating from the San Francisco College for Women in 1963 and marrying Michael Devitt later that year. The couple moved to San Luis Obispo in 1965, when Michael began his legal career and Mary Jo, who earned her teaching credential from Cal State Long Beach in 1964, started teaching at Sinsheimer Elementary School-the beginning of a decades-long commitment to education on the Central Coast. After taking time to raise her four children, Mary Jo returned to the classroom in the early 1980s as a substitute teacher in San Luis Obispo and retired in 2018. A tireless attendee of school board meetings who embraced volunteer opportunities with grace and purpose, Mary Jo was recognized as "Booster of the Year" in 1986 by San Luis Obispo High School's Black and Gold Booster Club-the first woman to receive the honor. During her more than six decades in San Luis Obispo, she also gave her time, and signature structure, to the March of Dimes, Old Mission Parish, and the Prado Day Center, among other organizations and student groups, while maintaining a steady presence in the Tribune's "Letters to the Editor" section. Beginning in 1982, Mary Jo applied her culinary and organizational skills to form her own business, Catering with Class, with longtime friend Carol Zweifel, bringing the riches of their respective kitchens-and a combined labor force of six children-to countless wedding receptions and other celebrations for a good part of the decade. Mary Jo is preceded in death by her parents, Octavia and Michael Calonico, and her husband, Michael, who passed in 2021. Mary Jo is survived by her brother Jim Calonico (Patti Meyer) of Lexington, KY, daughters Andrea Devitt (Dave Voss) of San Luis Obispo and Carolyn Devitt of Nashville, TN, sons James Devitt of Larchmont, NY and Gregory Devitt (Sheryl Wolcott) of San Luis Obispo, granddaughters Kiley Goode, Laurel Devitt, and Ellery Devitt, grandsons Owen Goode and Truman Devitt, niece Kristen Chawla (Lee) and nephew Peter Calonico, and numerous cousins. The family wishes to thank the dedicated and compassionate professionals at Bob and Corky's Care Homes who helped ensure Mary Jo's comfort and dignity in the final stages of her life. A memorial mass will be held at Mission San Luis Obispo on Monday, August 17 at 2 p.m., with a reception at the parish hall to follow immediately afterward. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations in Mary Jo's name be made to the San Luis Coastal Education Foundation (www.slcef.org), Friends of 40 Prado (friendsof40prado.org), or the Run 4 Bitti and Brynn Foundation (run4bittiandbrynn.org).

Mary Jo Devitt

December 14, 1941 - July 10, 2026