December 31, 1931 – July 23, 2025
Mary Jo Walker – A Remebrance
Our dear friend and board member Mary Jo Walker passed away at her home in July after a year of declining health. Born the last day of 1931 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she settled here in the 1960s. Until recently, she made twice-a-year trips to her home
state to visit her son and extended family.
Mary Jo was well-known for her extraordinary volunteer spirit and forthright personality. In addition to her three-plus decades with the historical society, she was devoted to the YWCA Harbor Area and held the position of its board president for several years. There was much more: She was the secretary-treasurer of the Seaman’s Institute, worked with the Community Redevelopment Agency for San Pedro-LA, was a member of the Light the Bridge Committee, volunteered with her church, St. Peter’s Episcopal, and in the 1980s was president of the Women’s Division of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce. Most of us thought of her in connection with accounting and record-keeping, but an earlier career as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines took her around the world. It was a career that company policy terminated when she married.
When San Pedro marked its Centennial in 1988, a year-longcelebration, Mary Jo was the treasurer-bookkeeper for the Centennial Committee. Afterwards, it was a natural segue for her to devote more time to the historical society, particularly with the Muller House Museum. Because of her long association, she knew how things had been done and certainly how they should be done, and we relied on her for so much. She was utterly dependable, making sure all the little and large things that go wrong with old houses were fixed. She served on the society board of directors for over thirty years, eventually stepping into the position of chief financial officer and membership chair.
When it came to the finances, many may know she was thrift itself. Her motto, though unspoken, was “Do more with less,” always with a view to keeping our organization financially sound. Her knowledge of San Pedro’s business people, including those
in city positions was vast. That was an asset for us. In this connection, one of her pastimes was watching the meetings of the L.A. City Council or the Harbor Commission live on TV.
Asked on one occasion how she got started with volunteering, she attributed it to her parents, saying something like, “I was brought up right; I learned that volunteering is what one is supposed to do.” This past year when Mary Jo could no longer come to meetings or the archives, she still wanted to remain useful. It’s so telling, right up until the end, she was leaving us phone messages, asking when someone would bring by more envelopes to address and stamp for our mailings.
Mary Jo is survived by her beloved son James Walker, his wife Wendy, a granddaughter, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
