Obituary of Mary Jo Maguire

Mary Jo Niebauer Maguire, beloved wife, mother and Nonnie, died peacefully, surrounded by family into God’s arms on January 26, 2023, after wrestling briefly with stage 4 cancer.

Mary Jo was born August 20, 1937, in Iowa City to Ruby Day Niebauer and Dr. Henry Joseph Niebauer. They moved to Madison, Wisconsin where Henry was a neurosurgeon at University of Wisconsin. After Henry’s unexpected death in 1940, their little family moved to San Diego, where Mary Jo attended school until her senior year of high school, at which point they moved to East Lansing, Michigan. Mary Jo graduated from Michigan State University with an Education degree and immediately married the love of her life, Bruce Maguire, Jr. After a short stay in Boston, where she taught grade school, they returned to East Lansing to raise their 4 children.

Mary Jo loved life, friends and family spreading joy and color wherever she went. She looked forward each year to spending time at her homes in Ocean Reef, Florida and Petoskey, Michigan, where she played bridge, read avidly and stoically endured her husband’s love for boating.

Mary Jo is survived by her husband of 63 years, Bruce Maguire, Jr., her sister Ruth Ann Ward; children, Bruce Maguire III (Claudia), Joseph Maguire (Jeanne), Jill Welsh (Sean) and John Maguire (Andrea), plus 13 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, all of whom she treasured with all of her heart.

Memorial services to be held in Hilton Head in March. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Smile Train, Doctors Without Borders or Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.