Barbara Jo Gries vonRosenberg

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Barbara Jo Gries vonRosenberg, a beloved Mom, Granny, GG, sister, and friend. Jo was a remarkable person who took life by the reins through her many adventures from dancing to flying to marriage to teaching. Her love, strength, and vibrant spirit touched the lives of so many, always giving to others with all her heart. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

For those that would like to join us, we will be celebrating Jo’s life on Thursday, December 19th, 2024, at Renew Church, 6509 Bosque Blvd., Waco, TX 76710. This will include a Visitation at 10:00 a.m., a Celebration of Life Service at 11:00 a.m., a Luncheon following the service, and Interment at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron, Texas. Please join us as we honor her memory and celebrate the incredible life she lived.

Barbara Jo Gries vonRosenberg is the child of Herbert Williamson and Hattie Florene Gries Williamson. In 1941 Florene was remarried to Noel McGinnes, and Jo was blessed with two wonderful siblings, Fairye in 1944 and Noel “Roscoe” in 1947. Jo is of German and Scotch-Irish descent. Early family members on the Gries side came from Laugstahl, Germany. Grandparents, Nicholas Oscar Gries was a bootmaker and a devout Catholic, while Hattie Cornelius Jackson was a Methodist and a distant cousin of Stonewall Jackson.

Jo was born on May 17, 1936, in Corsicana, Texas. A depression era family breakup had Jo and Florene relocating to West Columbia, Texas, with Florene’s brother, Edwin Gries and his wife, Anna Catherine Ringgold “Aunt Annie”. Jo grew up alongside Ed and Ann’s daughter, Tommy, who was more of a sister than a cousin. Jo attended West Columbia school and participated in band and choir. She became a Water Safety Instructor, taught swimming, worked as a lifeguard, and soloed with her single-engine pilot's license at 16. As a faithful member of First Methodist, she took care of the nursery and was a member of the singing Columbians. 

After graduating high school, Jo attended Wharton County Junior College, where she met her true love, Glenn Arthur vonRosenberg. While Glenn went to UT Austin to play baseball for the Longhorns, Jo finished her secondary teaching certification at Southwest in San Marcos. Shortly after matrimony, there was no time to waste in starting their own family. Darlyn Ann was born in Austin (1957), Kurt Len (1959), and Karl Glenn (1960) were born in Waco. Glenn’s variety of business opportunities took Jo and the children to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and just about all over Texas. She was a devout, lifelong educator! Jo taught seven different grade levels at 11 schools in 9 towns throughout her career. She enrolled full-time at Baylor when the family finally settled back down in Waco to pursue a postgraduate degree in Education. Jo earned her PhD in 1979. In addition to teaching, Jo was a supervisor, counselor, Director of Special Education, elementary principal, consultant, and Director of Sylvan Learning Centers. She enjoyed an incredible 33-year professional career in education, but she was just getting started. In retirement, she served as Area Coordinator for Phi Delta Kappa, a professional organization that promotes public education through service, leadership, and research. She joined the McLennan County Garden Club and became a Master Gardener in 1998. As a devout Christian, she served on the St. Matthew Lutheran Church Council, sang in the Choir, and became a member of the Stephen Ministry. Later on, she became involved with Renew Church, where she grew to love and be loved by her faith community. Her vibrant approach to family and life was always driven by strong convictions in her faith.

Jo never let the grass grow beneath her feet. Some of her many hobbies include globetrotting, attending family reunions, modeling, gardening, dancing, attending UT athletic events, East Texas A&M basketball games, entertaining, playing cards and dominos and volunteering for the local school district, community and church.

After the death of her beloved husband, Glenn, Jo met with their friend of many years, Charles “Cookie” E. Cook, on Halloween of 2019. As she described it, after “three fun courting weeks later”, on November 17th, 2019, she and Cookie were married. They enjoyed many adventures together before he passed in November of 2020. Jo then moved into The Blake in Waco, Texas where she enjoyed the company of many new friends, a wonderful staff, and devoured many delicious foods that she loved to rave about. 

Working tirelessly to bring & keep families together, Jo was an integral part of both the vonRosenberg and vonGonten Family Reunions each summer. She was an advocate for bringing the rich heritage of the family to life. Her latest endeavor, in conjunction with Karen Callahan and Neale Rabensburg, was to teach young family members the history of the vonRosenberg family.

In the last few years of her life, Jo joined a writer’s guild and authored six books including Searching for the Roses, The Many Faces of Glenn Arthur vonRosenberg, A Lady with an Appetite for Life, Christmas Through the Years, Good Time Charlie, A Very Sweet Lady, Fannie McGinnes, and co-authored “The vonRosenberg Family of Texas Cookbook”. Jo never stopped soaking up the world, continuing to learn as much as she could and sharing that knowledge with family and friends. She traveled the world through 6 continents, including her local travels spanning the USA and always visiting her kids, grands, and greats.

But nothing else compared to her endless love for her family. Jo is preceded in death by her fathers’, Herbert Williamson and Noel McGinnes; mother, Florene McGinnes; husband of 60 years, Glenn Arthur vonRosenberg; husband, Charles Edwin Cook; grandson, *James Andrew Cartwright Jr.; and grandson, *Michael Dwyer vonRosenberg. 

Jo is survived by her sister Fairye & husband Ralph Gilster; brother, Noel “Roscoe” McGinnes; cousin/sister Tommy Florene Gries Sparks; sister-in-law, Nettie vonRosenberg Green; daughter, Darlyn Ann Cartwright & husband, Drew; son, Kurt Len vonRosenberg & wife, Pam; son, Karl Glenn vonRosenberg & wife, Michelle; and honorary son, Patrick Kirby. She is also survived by twelve grandchildren and ten great grandchildren including, *Claten Bechtol & wife, Gretchen; *Jason vonRosenberg & wife, Brittany; *Cooper Bechtol & wife, JoAnne; *Taylor Cartwright; *Jaret vonRosenberg & wife, Sarah; *Conner Bechtol; Caroline Cartwright; Kelsey vonRosenberg; *Korby vonRosenberg; *Charles vonRosenberg; Emery Bechtol; Liam Bechtol; Knox Bechtol; Jaxon vonRosenberg; Iris vonRosenberg-Queton; Ava vonRosenberg; Bear Bechtol; Marley Jo vonRosenberg; Sawyer “Birdie” Bechtol; and Hunter vonRosenberg. Jo is also survived by many beloved extended family members.

*Denotes Pallbearers and Honorary Pallbearers

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Jo’s honor may be made to Renew Church in Waco, Texas, or a charity of your choice.

We invite you to leave a message or memory of Jo in her “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WHBfamily.com.