Mary Jo Smiley (née Drinka), 78, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away on October 2, 2026.
She was born in Milwaukee on March 28, 1948, to Thomas and Elisabeth Drinka.
Mary Jo is survived by her beloved husband of 53 years, Thomas Smiley; her nieces, Jocelyn Durant, Catherine Wheeler, and Joanna Bradley; and her cousins, Joan Bigott and Janet Kutzner. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Elisabeth Drinka; her brother, Thomas Drinka, sister-in-law, Barbara Drinka.
Mary Jo spent 33 years at M&I Bank, where she worked her way up to Executive Assistant to the President. Her keen eye for detail was a hallmark not only of her career, but of the way she lived her life.
She was an avid reader, a lover of nature and woodland creatures, and a gifted baker and pie maker. No holiday season was complete without her famous fudge. She also loved photography, carefully noting what and where each photo captured, sometimes adding a special note of her own, so that no memory would be lost.
To those who knew and loved her, Mary Jo was a steady, calming presence, a devoted and wonderful wife, and simply the best aunt. She paid attention to the details of your life, remembered the things that mattered, and made sure the people she loved knew just how deeply they were loved.
Mary Jo faced breast cancer three times over the course of her life, meeting her final battle with the same quiet strength and courage that characterized so much of the way she lived.
“Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:10
At Mary Jo’s request, no service will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in her memory to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Or, simply think of Mary Jo the next time you stop to capture a memory in a photograph.
