March 20, 1935 - October 7, 2022
Mary Jo Zumach, 87, of Algona, died Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, at Good Samaritan Society in Algona. A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 at Oakcrest Funeral Services in Algona. Burial was at Riverview Cemetery in Algona. Visitation was Wednesday, Oct. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Oakcrest Funeral Services.
Mary Jo Murtha was born on March 20, 1935, in Algona, to Mathew and Beatrice (Kelso) Murtha. She lived her life in and around the Algona area, attending Algona Community Schools and graduating with the St. Cecelia’s class of 1953. Mary Jo married Dennis Zumach on Aug. 17, 1956, in Lotts Creek and the couple resided on several farms near Whittemore until moving into Algona. They had two boys, David and Michael.
Mary Jo made her career in office administration in both the government and the private sector. She started her civil service as Secretary to the Kossuth County Committee of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Commission upon her graduation from high school. She then accepted a position as a manager at the Directory Service Company in Algona. She then returned to government service as the Executive Secretary of the Kossuth area Selective Service Boards and then accepted a position with the Farmer’s Home Administration where she worked until retirement. While with the Farmer’s Home Administration she became active in the Iowa chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employee Association (NARFE).
In her free time, she enjoyed square dancing, working with the farm animals and traveling with her children and husband. She also spent time attending the many sporting events of her children and grandchildren, an activity she dearly loved.
Mary Jo is survived by her two sons, David Zumach of Algona and Michael (Patricia) Zumach of Kansas City, Mo.; six grandchildren: Emily, Dilan, Jolene, Eleanor, Gregory and Katherine; 10 great- grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mary Jo is preceded in death by her husband of 39 years Dennis, her parents, and sisters Ruby Macumber and Sandra Jean, who passed in infancy.
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