Mary Jo Tormey

Mary Jo Tormey, 90, of Plainville, CT, passed away peacefully on February 3, 2018.  She will be dearly missed by her many family members and friends – in Connecticut, Michigan, Ohio, and beyond – who came to know her generous and loving spirit, her love of animals, art, and books, her nimble wit and intellect, and her insatiable thirst for knowledge. 

Mary Jo was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio on February 25, 1927. She graduated from Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio in 1948. While attending Notre Dame College, Mary Jo was Class President for four years in a row. She was also listed in “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities” during these years.

She then continued with her education while employed at the prestigious law firm of Baker, Hostetler & Patterson in Cleveland, Ohio and received her Master’s Degree in Library Science from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She served as a law librarian for Baker, Hostetler, and Patterson and then joined the National Bank of Detroit, now known as Chase Bank, at a time when there were very few bank librarians. Several years later she was offered the opportunity to establish the library collection for a new law school in Lansing, MI.  When state funding for the project did not materialize, Mary Jo joined the reference library staff at Michigan State University and was in charge of their law collection. She served in this capacity until retirement.

Upon retirement and the death of her beloved father, Mary Jo moved with her mother to join her sister, Phyllis Greenhalgh in Farmington, CT. She remained a resident of Farmington and then neighboring Plainville until her death.

Mary Jo Tormey was a beloved daughter of the late Mary Butler and Ferdinand Bleich; beloved sister of Nancy Murphy, of Novi, MI; and Phyllis Greenhalgh, of Berlin, CT. In addition, she leaves behind her nephew, Brian Murphy, of New Jersey; her late nephews Patrick Murphy and Michael Murphy; as well as nephews Matthew Jaynes, of Arizona, and Marcus Jaynes, of Maine; along with grand-nephews/nieces Christopher, Thomas, and Caroline Murphy (children of Brian and Graceann Murphy); Sean and Ben Murphy (sons of Patrick Murphy); Melaney Murphy (daughter of Michael Murphy); and Christopher and Cayden Jaynes (sons of Marcus and Rebecca Jaynes), with whom she experienced a remarkable, mutual, and vibrant relationship despite their young ages.

 A celebration of Mary Jo’s life will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 2 PM at Bailey Funeral Home, 48 Broad St., Plainville. Friends and family are welcome to gather at the funeral home between 12 and 2 PM, prior to the service beginning.  Burial will be held privately at a later date.

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