Mary Jo Moody Troncale, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2026. She was 96 years young.

Mary Jo was born on May 12, 1930, in Birmingham, Alabama, and spent her 96 years building a life defined not by what she had, but by what she gave to others.

She was, above all, a kind and remarkably strong woman. She was not a woman who feared God, but rather a woman who loved God-and she expressed that love through the way she lived and loved others. She cared deeply for her family and was a source of strength, comfort, and unconditional love to generations of those around her.

Mary Jo was married first to Clarence Robert Moody, who preceded her in death in 1988. She later married Joseph C. Troncale Sr., with whom she shared many years until his passing in 2014.

Her greatest joy was her family. She was a devoted mother to her daughters, Carol Moody Simpson and Rhonda Moody Carstensen and son-in-law Phillip Carstensen, and a loving grandmother to Somer Simpson, William Joshua Simpson, Philip Carstensen, and Derek Carstensen. She was also blessed with five great-grandchildren: Zoe Blue, Emma, Blain, Neely, and Jack. She is also survived by her brother Gene Greer and family.

But Mary Jo's definition of family extended far beyond those closest to her. She cared for her brothers and sisters and their children, and she embraced and cared for the families of both of her husbands. With her marriage to Papa Joe, she expanded her family to his three sons Joe Jr, Mark and Jerry and embraced their extended family of partners, children and grandchildren. If someone needed her, Mary Jo was there. She gave of herself freely and made people feel cared for, valued, and loved.

Her home was a place where people were always welcome. Her door was open, and her kitchen was often filled with family, friends, and neighbors gathered around the table for coffee, breakfast, supper, or simply conversation. She had a gift for making people feel that there was always room for one more person at her table-and that they belonged there.

Mary Jo was also an avid gardener and took great pride in her vegetables and beautiful azaleas. She loved tending her garden and watching things grow and bloom. Her azaleas were a particular source of pride and joy, and they became part of the beauty she brought into the lives of those around her.

She was an extraordinary cook, and many who loved her will remember her through the meals she prepared and the kitchen that always seemed to have room for one more. Her cooking was never simply about feeding people. It was one of the ways she expressed her love.

Mary Jo leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured in years or possessions, but in the lives she touched and the family she held together. She taught those who knew her what strength looks like when it is softened by kindness, what generosity looks like when it comes without expectation, and what it means to make a home wherever people gather.

She will be deeply missed by her daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, and the many friends and neighbors who were fortunate enough to know her.

Her life was long, but more importantly, it was well lived-and deeply loved.