Langer, Mary Jo Daly

Mary Jo Daly Langer, 96, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sept. 20, 2013. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Visitation will be Monday, Sept. 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.

Mom, the family matriarch, was a Great lady who will be missed by her family and friends. Mary Jo Daly was born on the family Heritage farm near Anamosa to Philip Daly and Lena Bradley Daly on Aug. 27, 1917. She attended a one-room school house and graduated from Anamosa High School in 1935 and from the University of Iowa in 1939.

Mary Jo married Milton R. Langer of Monticello on April 5, 1941. During the war years, they lived in St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Milwaukee. They moved to Cedar Rapids in 1946 and lived here for the next 67 years. They moved to The Meth-Wick Community in 1993.

Mom was a homemaker and a great volunteer. She was president of YWCA, College Club, Chapter HJ of PEO, and Wednesday Shakespeare Club. She was a voracious reader, reading and journaling over 100 books a year. She was a student of “The Bard” and could recite passages from all the Shakespeare plays. Mom loved to play bridge and just recently played with the Elmcrest Marathon Bridge group. In her younger days, she enjoyed golfing, boating on the Mississippi and traveling. Mom and Dad traveled in six continents and brought home travel books and souvenirs which she kept all these years. She was proud of her Irish heritage and embraced our Dad's Czech heritage by being a volunteer/benefactor at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Family was most important to her. She was proud of her large family and was the primary source of all family happenings. Mom could recite all grandchildren and great-grandchildren's birthdays and their interests.

She is survived by her five children, Barbara (Chuck) Hoffman of Anamosa, Michael (Ellen) of Sarasota, Fla., James of Cedar Rapids, John (Jane) of Cedar Rapids and David (Candi) of Madison, Wis.; 16 grandchildren, David, Eric, John and Kate Hoffman, Michael Jr., Thomas, Krystin, Lisa, James Jr., Scott, Andria, Melissa, Adam, Paige, Sydney and Nile Langer; and 24 great-grandchildren, ranging in age from 4 months to 19 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Milton; her sister, Sister Vivian Daly BVM; and her brother, the Rev. John Daly SJ.

All of us are better people for having her as our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

“And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!” (Hamlet v. 2)

Thank you to the staff at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy for their kindness and staff to our mother.

Memorials may be directed to The Meth-Wick Foundation or the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Online condolences may be left at under Obituaries.

Published Sept. 22, 2013 in The Gazette