Mary Jo Harper Day

Mary Jo Harper Day was born January 3, 1940 in Plattsburg, Missouri to Helen Grace Attebury and Merlin Harper. She departed this world on June 5, 2026. Her father died prematurely from cancer when she was just seven years old, and after her mother’s second marriage to Franklin Leslie Gipson, her brother Danny Leslie Gipson was born.

After graduating from Plattsburg High School as Valedictorian of the Class of 1957, Mary Jo attended St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City, graduating in 1961. While at nursing school, she met medical student John Kent Day, whom she married in 1962 in Plattsburg. They moved to Sacramento California for his Residency in Family Medicine, and then to Bowling Green, Missouri, where he opened his private practice and they had their first child, (Anne) Kathleen in 1967. In 1969, their second child (Leslie) Kirsten was born in Columbia, Missouri, where they moved when John became a staff member of the Student Health Service at the University of Missouri, and son (John) Kyle was born in 1973 in Fayetteville, where they moved when John became Director of Student Health at the University of Arkansas.

Mary Jo was a stay-at-home mom while her children were young, but in 1978, she took a job at the Woodland Junior High Library, and in 1983 made a successful run for the Fayetteville School Board, where she took a difficult and successful stance against censorship of books. In 1985, she returned to the field of Nursing working as a staff nurse and then Administration at Charter Vista Hospital. In 1990, she became Director of Nursing at City Hospital in Fayetteville.

Mary Jo and John divorced in 1990, and Mary Jo moved to New Orleans in 1991 when she was offered a Director’s position in DePaul Hospital, a psychiatric facility. She also returned to school and finished her BA in 1993. She ended her nursing career as an Associate Vice President of Quality Assurance for Tulane Hospital and Clinic, with responsibility for all psychiatric services. She received several accolades for her nursing skills, including being selected as one of Louisiana’s 100 Great Nurses in 1997.

While in New Orleans, she was an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans, where she sang in the choir, and sat on the Board of Trustees, serving as President in 2001. She took great pride in the work she did to restore a stained-glass window (The Gordon Sisters Window), and led the efforts to restore the church after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, she received the Theodore Clapp Award for her decades-long service to the church, and went on to chair the Building and Grounds Team in 2012, overseeing continuing work on post-Katrina repairs and improvements. After retiring in 2002, she obtained her real estate license and worked in realty for seven years. She also became a licensed tour guide, conducting tours in the French Quarter and area cemeteries for ten years.

In 2021, Mary Jo bought a house in Plattsburg, Missouri, renovated it with the help of brother Danny, and moved back to her hometown, where she was an active member of the community, volunteering in several organizations. As a member of the Clinton County Historical Society, she led the Ghostly Gallivant Cemetery Tour and volunteered with the Plattsburg Chamber of Commerce, the Gathering Place, the 4C’s, and The Plattsburg Art and Betterment, Fall Festival, and Christmas Committees. She was also a big supporter of the Plattsburg girls’ high school basketball team, and one of three members of the “80’s for Isaia” club. Her greatest joy was helping to establish an endowment fund for her beloved hometown.

Mary Jo was an avid collector of antique dolls, and an expert seamstress who dressed many of them as well. She enjoyed traveling, especially her trips to Russia, China, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Turkey, Guatemala, Mexico, the Caribbean, England, France and Italy.

Mary Jo was a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, and a loving and supportive daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, cousin, and friend. She nursed long-time partner Dave Longenecker through his fatal cancer and provided support to many friends and family members through illness and surgeries. She remained on good terms with John throughout his life, and was fortunate to remain close to his brothers and sister as well.

Mary Jo is survived by daughters Kathleen (Nail Cetin) and Kirsten (Sean Chapman) and son Kyle (Rena Orujova), grandchildren Sabina and John Day, and Harper and Owen Chapman; brother Danny as well as Rick Attebury, Sue Malone, and several other cousins in the Plattsburg Community. She was preceded in death by her father Merlin, mother Helen, and step-father Frank.

Mary’s family would like to offer special thanks to Angela Palazzolo and Margot Anderson, who offered indispensable help and support in her final illness. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Plattsburg Endowment Fund, The Gathering Place (senior center), or The Clinton County Historical Society.