Obituary for Mary Eisenhauer

Mary Johanna (Barthel) Eisenhauer

December 26, 1932 ~ July 24, 2020 (age 87)

Mary Jo Eisenhauer joined hands with her loving Savior Jesus and began her heavenly worship on July 24, 2020 in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Mary Johanna Barthel was born December 26, 1932 in Blackwell, Oklahoma to Otto and Matilda Quade-Barthel. She was the youngest of seven children. Mary Jo was baptized in Christ on January 22, 1933 and confirmed in the Lutheran faith on March 30, 1947 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blackwell, Oklahoma. As a young woman, Mary Jo was grounded in her love of the Lord. She chose Luke 11:28 as her confirmation verse: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

In the spring of 1951, Mary Jo married the love of her life, Charles Eisenhauer. On March 22, 2016, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. To their beautiful marriage, they were blessed with three sons, Douglas Wayne, Dale Edward and Larry Don Eisenhauer. Charles and Mary Jo enjoyed many happy years of working, traveling, loving and worshipping together. She and Charles loved camping at Cooper Creek in Branson, Missouri, traveling to Laughlin, Nevada, Red River, New Mexico and Yuma, Arizona visiting family and making friends. They were also members of the “Explorers Club” with which they traveled internationally to England and Germany.

Mary Jo grew up in Kay County, graduating from Ponca City High School in May of 1951. Mary Jo was proud of their home and enjoyed making it a home for their children and later grandchildren to visit. Mary Jo always had a sweet to offer her family. She loved to bake, some of her favorites were sugar cookies, bread, pies and angel food cakes from scratch.In 1982, Charles and Mary Jo, along with their youngest son Larry began Eisenhauer Insurance and Real Estate Agency, providing home, vehicle, farm and crop insurance, as well as real estate services. Mary Jo loved working alongside Charles at the insurance office, but also on the farm. She loved harvest time as her family came together to bring in the bounties that God has blessed them with. Every summer she could be seen driving a wheat truck loaded with wheat to the CO-OP. She loved having supper in the fields, watching the combines work and always had a steady hand on scale taking meticulous care of the weigh tickets as they came in. Mary Jo also enjoyed volunteering for Lutheran Women Missionary League (LWML), the Kay County Election Board assisting voters on election days and the Council of Human Needs which was an outreach mission providing assistance to the Newkirk community.

God blessed Mary Jo with the gift of music and the talent to share it with others. Mary Jo began her music ministry as the church organist at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Newkirk in 1956. For over 62 years God directed Mary Jo’s hands to bless others and fill the church with his music. Mary Jo played music for God and his love and music dwelled within her. Mary Jo has played for countless church services, baptisms, conformations, weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter services. We celebrate Mary Jo as she took the hand of her beloved Charles in Heaven, joining the angels as they welcomed her to their choir and seated her at Heaven’s organ playing in worship of her savior Jesus and almighty God.

Her precious husband, Charles, parents, Otto and Matilda Barthel, siblings, Harold, Al, Victor, Leslie, Eileen, and Delores, as well as one great-grandchild, Barry Ike Brown, preceded Mary Jo in death. The delight of Mary Jo’s heart and life was her family. She would light up from head to toe when she was paid a visit by any one of them. She is survived by her loving sons Doug and wife Radena, of Newkirk Oklahoma, Dale and wife Gayle of Grove, Oklahoma and Larry and wife Lynda of Newkirk, Oklahoma. Mary Jo was “Grandma-Non” or “Nonnie” to 8 Grandchildren and 15 beautiful great-grandchildren, Scott Eisenhauer and wife Melissa, children Katie Jo and Mason of Edmond, Oklahoma, David Eisenhauer and wife Heidi, children Kasch, Ava, Mae and Dutch of Joplin, Missouri, Kathy Brown and husband Bill, children Carson, Parker and Landon of Heber Springs, Arkansas, Will and Shyanne Brown of Heber Springs, AR, Becca Brown of Montgomery, TX Suzi Brown and husband Aaron and children Kinley, Kelton and Deklan of Newkirk, Oklahoma, Justin Eisenhauer and wife Jerrilyn and children Justus and Jaxin of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dustin Eisenhauer of Edmond, Oklahoma as well as numerous beloved nephews, nieces and cousins and many treasured friends.

Viewing is scheduled from 4-7p.m. on Monday, July 27, at Grace Memorial Chapel, Ponca City, Oklahoma. A worship service and celebration of Mary Jo’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Newkirk with committal service held 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 29,2020 to follow at the Newkirk Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be sent to Equity Bank, Newkirk, Oklahoma, which will be presented to Saint John’s Lutheran Church for the purpose of the “organ fund”, in honor of Mary Jo’s life and music legacy.

Online guest registry is available at wwwgracememorialchapel.net