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Weekly Bulletin February 12, 2023
by Terrie Evans
On this 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we honor a longtime parishioner who passed away on February 14, 2021 on the 2nd Anniversary of her death. The parishioners at San Antonio Church owe a debt of gratitude to Jo Ann Metz for all the networking she did during her lifetime to keep our church open and relevant in the community. Jo Ann Metz (1931-2021) was born and raised in South Fairmount at 2003 Queen City Avenue across the street from the Panaro and Esposito families. Her parents were Frank (1893-1965) a well-liked Mail Carrier working at the Price Hill Station covering rural Route #4 who would later work with the Post Office to locate the steering wheel on the passenger side for easier mail delivery. Jo Ann’s mom, Mary Herdeman Metz (1893-1972) was a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Orphanage when she was President of the Welfare Society, St. Bonaventure’s and later became the President of the St. Ann’s Married Ladies Sodality at San Antonio Church. Jo Ann attended St. Bonaventure School with Sisters Carol, Rosemary, and Mary Jane and their many friends from the old neighborhood. When Jo Ann was in the 6th Grade, she participated in a city-wide essay competition in 1941 for Girls Week. It was open to all grade schoolgirls whose hobbies were music, art, or poetry to compete in one of these fields of interest with Jo Ann winning an award for her essay on Cartooning. After Graduation from St. Bonaventure’s School, she went on to St. Xavier Commercial High School and graduated as one of 114 Girls to receive her Diploma in May 1945.
Jo Ann wed Victor Jelen, an engineer and welcomed Andrew, Peter and Jean to their family. She would continue her education working towards her law degree while serving as President of the Oak Hills School Board. During that time, Andrew was stationed in the Army, Peter was at West Point and Jean (Metz) Zurface was an active-duty officer in the Army. Andrew became a Quality Engineer for his company, Encompass International while Peter would serve in a Special Forces Unit in the Army and Jean would receive her Law Degree and serve as a JAG Officer. Those years were busy for Jo Ann, and it was also an uncertain time for churches and the future of St. Bonaventure and San Antonio Church. Jo Ann knew the parishioners would need advice and she would use her skills to address the congregation at San Antonio Church on what the best plan would be to insure the church’s future. Jo Ann and her team of Joe Cupito and Jim Schulter worked toward the future goals for the church and never gave up the fight. We will never forget Jo Ann and everything she did to keep our church open while including San Antonio parishioners, past and present in her plans.
After we dedicated our Brick Memorial Garden in 2008, Jo Ann started working with MSD and the South Fairmount Improvement Association for plans that would benefit of our church. She attended every meeting, workshop and commission forum to give her input on new improvements near the church. She even bought properties around the perimeter of the church hoping to change the dynamics of Lick Run. Everyone she knew respected Jo Ann and sought her advice whether it was from city leaders or residents from the neighborhood. She found a new mountain to conquer when she bought land in Indiana and was in the process of building a house when she passed away on Valentines’ Day, February 14, 2021. She leaves her son Peter, daughter Jean and her beloved Granddaughter, Kali Alyssa Jelen now a lawyer at a firm in California and niece, Barb Espsoito Illaqua. Preceding her in death, son Andrew in 2009, her sister Carol (Metz) Williams-Hase (1932-1995), Mary Jane (Metz) Shaw (1922-2017), Rosemary (Metz) Esposito (1927-2018). We will never forget her as we honor Jo Ann Metz on this Sunday, February 12th on the 2nd Anniversary of her passing.
This Sunday, we also remember our good friend, Victoria “Vicky” (Beckman) Currin who passed away on February 1, 2023 at the age of 65. Vicky became a regular at our 9:00 AM Mass along with her husband Terry who always supported our fundraisers and events. Vicky’s mom Josephine “JoAnn” (Macaluso) Beckman (1933-2009) was a longtime parishioner and benefactor along with Vicky’s Great Grandparents, Raffaele (1877-1963) and Philomena (Perrone) Minella (1881-1974), Grandparents Philip (1907-2000) and Matilda Lea (Minella) Macaluso (1909-1981) and Aunt Dorothy “Dottie” (Macaluso) Williams (1929-2019). Vicky’s brother Steve and wife Jeanette Beckman have continued their families tradition to dedicate time for the good of our church with Steve volunteering at every Lunch on the House in our Hall. We have missed seeing Vicky and Terry at our Mass on Sunday, but we will never forget the beautiful wedding of her daughter Melissa to Bobby Corso held at San Antonio Church a few years ago.
Vicky leaves many family connections from our church who have known her for many years and will miss her terribly. She was the beloved wife of Terry, Mother of Doug (Allison) Jones, Danielle (Kevin) Ohms, Melissa (Bobby) Corso, Amy (Malcolm) Berry, Brian (Natalie) Currin, Brett (Leigh) Currin. Vicky’s Grandchildren, Kayla, Nate, Sami, Xander, Maia, Brenan, Jack, Caden, Gemma, Henry, Alistair, and Luca. Vicky also leaves her Aunt Phyliss (Macaluso) Seger many cousins, nieces, nephews from the Macaluso, Beckman, Jones , Minella, Seger Families and her good friends and cousins Jeffrey Williams and Stephanie Curd. Her Funeral Mass was held at St. Dominic Church on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Please keep all her family members and friends in your prayers as they grieve the loss of Vicky (Beckman) Currin at this most difficult time.