Mary Jo Chapman

Mary Josephine Chapman, 94, passed away peacefully, with family beside her, on February 28, 2025 after a brief illness.
Services will be held at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church on Saturday March 8th. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 10:45 AM with a Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 11:00 with Rev. Brian Dellaert officiating. Private family burial will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Mary Jo was born in Ottawa, Illinois on September 11, 1930 to Carl and Lois Becker. The family later moved to Clinton, Iowa where Mary Jo regularly helped out at the Becker Cafe. A local entertainment duo, Mary Jo and her brother, Robert, tap danced at various community venues and won awards. Mary Jo was known throughout high school for her warmth and engaging personality that probably contributed to her being crowned Gateway Classics Queen in her senior year.
Following in her mother's footsteps, Mary Jo headed to the University of Iowa to obtain a degree in nursing. After graduation in 1951, she stayed in Iowa City working at the University Hospital. It was while she was a head nurse on one of the medical floors that she met and fell for her husband, John S. Chapman, M.D. They were married in Iowa City at St. Thomas More Catholic Chapel on February 21, 1955. The couple moved to Dubuque, Iowa with their then two children in 1958. The family grew to a total of nine with seven children. While John worked a physician's long hours at Dubuque Internal Medicine and city hospitals, Mary Jo held down the fort. She answered phone calls and took messages from John's patients, paged hospitals and nursing homes to contact John to deliver messages, cooked meals daily for nine, volunteered at her children's schools, cleaned, laundered several loads every day, and still found time to listen to each child's school day tales. She was an avid fan of her kids' sporting events. She loved her houseful of busy children and managed it all with a warm smile, kindness, grace, and no complaints.
When she became an empty-nester, Mary Jo volunteered for Hospice of Dubuque and the Dubuque Museum of Art. She and John also enjoyed the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and traveling. They were fortunate to take many trips with good friends and were able to visit all their children and grandchildren even when they lived in seven different states. Mary Jo loved gardening and spent many hours tending to her beautiful flowers. Holidays were special at the Chapman house. Mary Jo always cooked a gourmet meal that rivaled the best restaurants. From linens to china to all her special touches, memories of Mary Jo's holiday meals are among the fondest for her children and grandchildren alike. Each child's birthday was a special day and she always gave a perfect gift. She brought such joy to any occasion.
Mary Jo is survived by her seven children: Cathy (Mike) McCarty of Minneapolis, MN; Steve (Sue) Chapman of Dubuque, IA; Beth (Peter) Hanlon of Salt Lake City, UT; Carol (Paul) Librizzi of Park City, UT; Dan (Charlene) Chapman of Little Rock, AR; Michael (Laura) Chapman of Dubuque, IA; and Mary Kay (Charlie) Callahan of Shoreview, MN. She is also survived by seventeen grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Mary Jo is preceded in death by her brother, and the love of her life, John S.Chapman with whom we know she is now happily reunited.
To know Mary Jo was to love Mary Jo.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Hospice of Dubuque, Dubuque Museum of Art or the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.
The family thanks the staff at Mercy One Hospital for their kind and compassionate care and thank the staff and residents at Bethany Home for their kindness and friendship with Mary Jo.