Mary Jo McGonegal died on May 3rd at Kentmere Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. She was 77. Born the second child of John R. (Bob) McGonegal and Margaret Desmond McGonegal while her father was overseas during World War II, Mary Jo lived her entire life in Wilmington, Delaware, working as a teenager dipping ice cream at the family business, Delamore Dairy. She attended Ursuline Academy through high school before graduating from the College of New Rochelle in New York in 1967.

After graduating she came home to Wilmington to begin her career in service to the people of Delaware, first as an intake worker and counselor at Family Court. In 1973 new Mayor Tom Maloney appointed Mary Jo as the City of Wilmington's Complaints Manager at age 27. When administrations changed, Mary Jo left government to start a long career with the Career Exploration Program, helping teenagers and others find their way to employment through training and counseling. Her last full time job was with Catholic Charities where she ran programs to assist those dealing with family violence. After her retirement she continued her service by volunteering at St. Peter Cathedral School and St. Patrick's Senior Center.

A proud Irish-American, she was an original marcher in Wilmington's first St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1976, then an early member of the Irish Culture Club of Delaware. She served as a board member and Board President, actively participating as parade marshal and Feis (Irish dance competition) volunteer, in addition to being an active Irish dancer herself at the ICCD ceilis.

Her life though was centered on her family, an extensive array of brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces, first and second cousins and beyond. She was the go-to person when someone needed help, whether as a babysitter, extra adult on vacation, caretaker for an older relative, or favorite aunt to take her nieces to the Greek Festival. She maintained contact with more distant relatives across generations to keep family traditions and stories alive.

She was predeceased by her parents, and survived by her siblings Margaret Harbin (Roland), John R. McGonegal, Jr., Kevin McGonegal (Cindy), Jane McGonegal (Terry Sweeney), Elizabeth Bouchelle, and William McGonegal (Ginny), 15 nephews and nieces and 17 grand-nephews and nieces, innumerable other cousins and dear friends - and of course her cats Charley and Heidi.

A viewing will be held at Mealey Funeral Home, 2509 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808 on Monday, May 8, 2023 from 5 to 7 PM; and Mass of Christian Burial at St. Ann's Church, Gilpin and Union Streets, in Wilmington on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 10:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Patrick's Senior Center, 107 E. 14th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 or St. Peter Cathedral School, 310 W. 6th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Mealeyfuneralhomes.com.