Mary Jo Kendo

Kendo (Hillenbrand), Mary Joan (Jo)
Age 80, a resident of Dayton, OH, peacefully passed away on April 9, 2014. She was born in Wheeling, WV on August 15, 1933 to Louis A. and Marguerite (Kerrigan) Hillenbrand. She was educated in the Catholic Schools graduating in 1951 from St. Joseph’s Academy. In 1954 she was accepted into the Wheeling Jesuit College as a candidate of the first graduating class. During her studies for a degree in Social Work she was very active at the college and worked to finance her education. At Wheeling Jesuit she was a member of the Debating Team, Drama Club, a sorority, wrote a column for the school newspaper and wrote and performed monologue skits held at the school. She was elected a class officer in her junior year and received much recognition from her classmates. Following her graduation in 1959 she was employed by the Catholic Diocese in Cleveland, OH for three years as a social worker for teenage girls at the Marycrest School for Girls. She returned to Wheeling, WV to teach at St. Michael’s Catholic Grade School. In February 1964 she was married. Over the years Mary Jo was active in caring for her parents, relatives and her three children. In the early 1970’s she accepted a position with the West Virginia Racing Commission at Wheeling Downs. She remained with the Commission for 22 years before retiring from her position as State Presiding Judge. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, her sister Peggy Haskins and her brother Lou Hillenbrand, Jr. She is survived by her three children, Thomas W. Kendo, Jr. (Jennifer) of Dayton, OH; Kathryn J. Young of Winston Salem, NC and Paul J. Kendo (Ann) of Las Vegas, NV. She was blessed with four wonderful grandchildren: Thomas W. Kendo, III, Allison Kendo, Samantha Young and Jonn Young. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Bob Haskins as well as many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Hospice of Dayton and Home Instead Senior Care for all of their comfort and care. Visitation will be held at Westbrock Funeral Home on Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Francis of Assisi on Friday, April 25, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Hospice of Dayton or Catholic Social Services of Dayton.