Coming Full Circle

Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold.

The recent Crockett School project that was rooted in showcasing the beauty of nature proved especially meaningful for President Jay.

It was an opportunity to reflect on life, friendship and the beauty of nature around the world. Was it coincidence? Or fate? Jay was kind enough to share her story.

On Oct. 25th, I was helping clean up Kristine Geck's project for her Environmental Club at Crockett Middle School. While pruning some trees and cleaning up the area around the tree, I exposed a plaque honoring Mary Jo Mazotas’s 37 years at the school. It brought back many teary-eyed, beautiful memories.

I first met Mary Jo in September 1965. I was assigned to teach 5th grade at Alexander School, and Mary Jo was the 6th grade teacher. We connected very quickly and, thus, started a 60-year relationship. The following year, the school board implemented the elementary school K-5 and middle school 6-8; Mary Jo was transferred to Crockett Middle School. 

Our first travel adventure was a 21 cross-country adventure planned by Mary Jo. She was the main planner for most of our excursions. This was followed by our European trip to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. 

Being teachers, we took advantage of our free summers. Then, both of us got married, and our mutual friends treated us to a surprise dual baby shower. We had our first three weeks apart. We took different paths for a while.

With the help of her family, Mary Jo resumed her teaching career. I became a stay-at-home mom to three children, but we still kept in touch. Our children grew up, my husband passed away, and we reconnected again for travel.

This time, it was off to Oklahoma to learn more about the indigenous tribes of our Nation. Then it was off to Maine, then Quebec and Montreal. Maine offered many scenic stops on our way home. Our favorite was a picnic stop at a pristine lake by the roadside where we enjoyed our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

We both appreciated and enjoyed the beauty of nature. Our last spectacular was our cruise around South America. We flew into Santiago, Chile, then boarded a cruise ship that took us around the Cape and onto Brazil. Mary Jo had planned to make a stopover in Antarctica, but it was canceled at the last minute due to bad weather. This was very disappointing for her.

Our travels finally came to a halt. We were both dealing with health issues, then Covid hit. While trying to reconnect In September 2025, I called a mutual friend who told me that Mary Jo was in an assisted living facility. I told her I would like to visit Mary Jo when I got back from Florida. Not long after, I got the call that my dear friend had passed away. I couldn’t even get to her funeral. 

Even if only for a short while, the plaque brought the two, dear friends back together. A special thanks to the Environmental Club, volunteers, and President Jay for helping to keep this beloved educator's memory alive.