Mary Jo Curtin, Retired Nurse

Mary Jo’s interest at this time is end of life care and planning. 
In her upbringing death was not discussed and she feels it is important to have a plan for
end of life options before it is imminent. The anxiety and uncertainty of aging lessens
​when a plan is devised on how to complete the circle of life.

Mary Jo Curtin, Board Director

Mary Jo is a retired nurse who resides in Grass Valley, Ca. She has been a long time member of Nevada County starting with her early nursing career in Truckee, when it was still a small community with limited resources. She has a strong love for the outdoors and chooses to live where there is a strong sense of community.

Mary Jo’s early career started out as a hospital nurse in Truckee and the latter years were spent in Public Health and School Nursing. As a hospital nurse, Mary Jo was always interested in caring for dying patients with compassion and unconditional support. In the late 90’s she was trained for hospice care in Truckee but relocated to a Public Health Position in rural Siskiyou County. 

The last eleven years of Mary Jo’s nursing career were spent as a school nurse. She attended the online Fresno State School Health Services Credential Program to continue to work in the K-8 school communities. Mary Jo was a health resource for students and staff members. She also did classroom health education, which was a favorite part of the job as to empower students to take part in their health. She continued to learn more time management and organizational skills to independently manage three sites of work in the same district.

Recently, Mary Jo cared for her 103 year old “adopted" mom in her last days at home in hospice care. This recent caregiving experience motivated her to reach out to Full Circle Living and Dying to empower others to plan and provide support for the end of life. Mary Jo wanted to find the optimum way to use her nursing background to give back to the community.

Mary Jo  has done extensive grief work in her own personal life, which includes the local Nevada County Grief Recovery Program. She attended “Death Cafe” events in Auburn before returning to reside in Nevada County. She also co-hosted one of the educational Zoom sessions of Full Circle of Living and Dying, In-Home After Death Care In April 2022.

Mary Jo’s interest at this time is end-of-life care and planning.  In her upbringing, death was not discussed, and she feels it is important to have a plan for end-of-life options before it is imminent. The anxiety and uncertainty of aging lessen when a plan is devised on how to complete the circle of life.

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