KENDALLVILLE - Mary Jo Carteaux Paulus Diehm, age 90, of Kendallville, Indiana, passed away on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville, Indiana.

Ms. Diehm was born on Sept. 1, 1932, in Kendallville, Indiana, to Eugene and Agnes (Weber) Carteaux.

Mary Jo graduated from Kendallville High School in 1950. In 1954, she earned a Bachelor's Degree from Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois. She then continued her education at St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she obtained her Master's Degree and Teacher's License.

In 1954, she married Hilton Paulus and they had five children together, Suzie, Michael, Kay, Kevin, and Stacy. He preceded her in death on Dec. 22, 1966.

On June 26, 1976, she married Howard Diehm and after 43 years of happy marriage, he preceded her in death on March 7, 2019.

Mary Jo taught at Wayne Center Elementary School for 28 years, and upon retiring she took a position at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne, as a supervisor for student teachers for 20 years.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Kendallville, Indiana, and Tri Kappa. Mary Jo was an avid reader, enjoyed traveling, walking and staying active, and spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Survivors include her daughters, Suzie (Bill) Knox, of Corunna, Indiana, Kay (Bill) Havlin, of Zionsville, Indiana, and Stacy (Gordon) Green, of Gilbert, Arizona; sons, Mike (Sherry) Paulus, of Auburn, Indiana, and Kevin (MiMi) Paulus, of Atwood Lake, Indiana; grandchildren, Justin (Jennifer) Knox, Tyler (Jo) Knox, Alex (Ashley) Knox, Joe (Ashley) Paulus, Zack Havlin, Megan Havlin, Erica (John) Montoya, Adam Paulus, Jami (Kyle) Hall, Mitchell (Emily) Green, and Jason Green; 11 great-grandchildren; and sister, Margaret Yuska, of Kendallville, Indiana.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; and sisters, Patricia Carteaux and Virginia Valentine.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, from 5-8 p.m., at Hite Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Kendallville, IN 46755.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 11 a.m., at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 319 E. Diamond St., Kendallville, IN 46755.

Burial will take place at Lakeview Cemetery in Kendallville.

Officiating the services will be Father J. Steele.

Memorial donations may be directed to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and to the Wounded Warrior's Project.

Arrangements entrusted to Hite Funeral Home, Kendallville, Indiana.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by KPCNews on Mar. 28, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Mary Diehm

Sponsored by Hite Funeral Home.

2 Entries

Carolyn Riehm Steinhaus

March 31, 2023

To family of Mary Jo,
I am Carolyn Riehm and grew up in Kendallville and was a good friend of Mary Jo and we had a "gang" of 8 girls in High School who did fun and sometimes crazy things together. We died our hair with food coloring and went to HS that way. We took a Bicycle ride to South Milford. We dressed in red and green one time at HS. We stayed at Febles' cottage at the Lake for a week and at Pretty Lake for a week, and had other slumber parties--good times.
When my late husband, Otto, and I would come back to Kendallville for KHS Reunions, we would sleep overnight at the home of Mary Jo and Howard. I no longer have any family left in Kendallville and Mary Jo was my only contact really. I live in Columbia, MO, married a United Methodist Minister who was from Missouri and we moved to MO in 1962 and have been here ever since. I just turned 90 on the 27th of March.
It leaves a hole in our worlds when a good friend and family member leaves us even though we did not see each other often.
My love and prayers are with all of you who loved her and mourn her passing! I mourn along with you! Her friendship was a blessing to me.
Carolyn (Riehm) Steinhaus.
[email protected]

The Savage Family

March 30, 2023

Offering my deepest sympathies for your family´s loss. I will offer our prayers for Mary Jo. May she have eternal peace and rest in Gods kingdom.
With sincerest condolences
The Savage Family

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