Mary Jo Vermillion, 81, of Vincennes

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Mary Jo Vermillion was born Mary Jo Inman on September 11, 1934, to George E. and Esther “Becky” Inman.  She grew up in Vincennes, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1952.  As her father was the football coach for the Vincennes Alices, Mary Jo loved to tell stories about the football players and the mischief they would cause both on and off the field.  She was a faithful alumni, always supporting the class activities at the 60+ years of reunions.

After high school, Mary Jo enrolled at the School of Nursing at IU-PU in Indianapolis, and graduated the program in 1955.  She came back to Vincennes, but just long enough to start dating and marry Norman Arnold Vermillion.  When they were married on October 26, 1956, they moved to Muncie, IN where Arnold could attend Ball State University and Mary Jo worked as a nurse at Ball Memorial.  She would later take classes to specialize in cardiac care (a new field at the time), and worked at Henry County hospital in New Castle, IN.  In 1972, the family moved back to Vincennes, and she took a bit of a break.  She eventually went to work at Good Samaritan Hospital and then later became a nurse with the Head Start program and a school nurse at Vincennes University.

She retired from nursing in the 1980s.

Everyone who knew Mary Jo knew that she had three passions in life – her faith, her family, and her theatre work. Mary Jo was bitten by the acting bug as a child, but it wasn’t until she moved to Muncie that she began to work on stage.  A member of the Muncie Civic Theater, she acted in several plays.  The PTO group at Northview Elementary School was looking for a way to raise money, and Mary Jo suggested doing a play.  She volunteered to direct.  What followed were four years of plays that raised a lot of money for the school – sold out performances of plays like The Egg and I and the Boy Who Changed the World. Mary Jo had found her calling.  When the family moved back to Vincennes, Mary Jo became involved in Vincennes University theater.  She took a few classes at VU, and received raves for parts in Fiddler on the Roof, Music Man, and even a walk-on in Sound of Music that earned the biggest laughs of the performance.

Eventually, Mary Jo wanted to do more directing, and with a few other stalwarts in town, founded The Old Town Players Community Theater.  Their first productions were in the old seed store on First Street.  She loved to talk about that old theater — no wing space, so to exit off stage you had to go up the stairs to the loft above the stage.  She was able to literally stop Red Skeleton in the street and invite him to the theatre; he visited a children’s theater workshop and performed for the kids, toured the theater, and talked to Mary Jo about future plans.  The theater moved to Second Street, and eventually to its current home on 5th and Broadway.  She starred in many plays throughout her years with OTP, and directed a number of hit shows as well. She was honored several times to receive the Best Actress award (voted on by the audiences) as well a Best Director on several occasions.  She won two awards from the Indiana Civic Theatre Association – an acting award for her role as the helpless widow in The Good Doctor and a directing award for The Dining Room.  She was most proud of her performance in The Trip to Bountiful and her direction in Noises Off!  She served on the board at OTP for numerous years.

Mary Jo was most proud of her children.  She cheered them from the stands, applauded them from the audience, and supported them in every way possible, both at school, at home, and the world beyond.  She adored her granddaughter, Kenzie, and was proud of her grandson, Brady.

Mary Jo was also a staunch member of the First United Methodist Church, and her faith was perhaps one of her most passionate traits.  She attended Bible Studies, read her Bible faithfully, and loved sharing Scriptures with friends.  Shortly before her death, she told her youngest daughter that she was looking forward to being with Jesus.  We know she is celebrating there!

Mary Jo was also a member of Tri-Kappa (a charity sorority), an alternate at large member of the State Board of Indiana Theatre League, and a member of the Vincennes Civitan Club.  She performed in several venues around town, doing special holiday readings at Gregg Park for children, making PSA for Vincennes, and others. When the US began plans to build a Korean War Memorial on the Washington Mall in D.C., Mary Jo honored her brother, Richard, who was killed in Korea, by becoming actively involved with gathering information to send, and was there for the opening of the memorial.  She also participated on her brother’s behalf by attending some West Point reunions. Mary Jo will always be remembered for her ready smile, her compassionate heart, her generous nature, and her laugh.  She loved telling jokes, pulling pranks, and teasing those she loved.  She had a quick intelligence that could see the humor in almost any situation, and was able to make those around her laugh and feel special.  Her impact on her family, friends, and this community will be felt for years to come.

Mary Jo was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold Vermillion, her parents, George and Becky Inman, and her brothers, Richard and Bob Inman.  She is survived by one sister, Bonnie Wright, in Neenah, WI, her children, Debra Vermillion (Burbank, CA), Rene’ Vermillion, Richard Vermillion and wife Barbara, and Jo Marie Vermillion,  all of Vincennes.  Mary Jo is also survived by two grandchildren, Brady Richardson and wife Aya in Tokyo, Japan, and Kenzie Vermillion, Vincennes, IN, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Old Town Players.

Viewing will be on Friday, March 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Goodwin Funeral Home 524 Broadway St. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 19, at 10.a.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 4th and Perry Street, Vincennes, IN, the Rev. Paul Wagner officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. Online Condolences can be made at Goodwinfamilyfh.com.