Mary Jo Higbee

Mary Jo Higbee, 64, of Boise, passed away July 2nd, 2015 at Saint Alphonsus Hospital after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
Mary Jo was born Dec 9th, 1950 in Sun Valley, Idaho on the 4th floor of the Sun Valley Lodge – the only hospital at the time. She was the oldest daughter of Fred and Barbara Higbee. “Jo” as she was known to her family and friends, grew up in Ketchum and spent her summers swimming and fishing, and her winters at the ice rink in Sun Valley. Jo was a graduate of Wood River High School, class of 1969. One of her favorite memories was when she was 14, and she and her girlfriend spent the entire summer working at a Dude Ranch. Another favorite memory was spending the summer with her best friend living and working in Spokane. She worked for a short time as a maid at Sun Valley, but her first real job was at the Sun Valley Dry Cleaners. Dry Cleaning seemed to be where she fit best as she spent the better part of the next 40 years working and at times managing Dry Cleaners. Jo moved to Boise in 1985, and then to Meridian, landing in Boise again shortly before being diagnosed with Lung Cancer in October, 2014.
Jo will always be remembered for her quick wit and great sense of humor. Even in her last days at the hospital she was still surprising everyone with her quick humor. She told the nurses that instead of fluffing up the pillow, her sister tried to fold and spindle the pillow.
Jo is preceded in death by her mother, Barbara Higbee (1993), and her father, Fred Higbee (2003). She is survived by her brother Bob Falen (Mary) of Soda Springs, her sister Rose Ann “Rosie” Nicholson of Carrollton, TX, and niece Adrienne Nicholson (Luke Jones) of Boise.
The family would like to thank good friends Laurel & Rick Day, and Irene Mansfield whose help and friendship has been wonderful through the years, but invaluable during the last few weeks.
Graveside services will be Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 11:00 am at the Bellevue Cemetery. Services are provided by Wood River Chapel in Hailey. Donations may be made to the Boise Chapter of the Idaho Humane Society in honor of her beloved Li’l Bit.