Jo Saulisberry passed away peacefully on May 20 th of natural causes in Carson City. She was 94.
A native Nevadan, Jo was born in Reno to Anthony and Theresa Caprio on August 7, 1928. She attended Reno schools and then enrolled at the University of Nevada Reno where she met her eventual husband, Chuck
Saulisberry. They were married in 1951 and remained so until his Death in 2019.
Her major in college was Education and she taught both primary and Community College students for 27 years. She served as President of the Ormsby County Teachers Association.
Chuck and Jo were both active in the community and were able to travel extensively after they both retired. Jo served on the Parks Commission, the Carson City Park Foundation, the Carson City Historical Society, the Senior Citizens Advisory Council. She was a volunteer at the Nevada State Museum and belonged to the Order of the Eastern Star.
Her two proudest achievements were starting a chapter of The Compassionate Friends for Northern Nevada after the untimely death of their 17-year-old son, Tracy. She served on the National Board of Directors for 6 years and was National President.
The other was her service as Trustee of the Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center for 17 years. During her tenure, the hospital expanded services to surrounding counties, opened several urgent care facilities, built a new regional medical center, a cancer center, established a Hospital Foundation, and hired many new physicians to serve the community.
Jo is survived by a son Daniel of Phoenix, AZ, a daughter Kathryn Smith of Dayton, NV, a sister Annette Mortimer of Reno, NV, nieces Michelle Wagner and Linda Van Citters of Reno, and Terry Newcomb of Las Vegas. She had 6 grandchildren, 14, great grandchildren and 3 great great grandsons.
She was preceded in death by her son Tracy in1979, granddaughter Danielle in 2007 and husband Chuck in 2019.
It was her desire to be cremated and interred at The Gardens at Waltons in Carson City
next to Tracy and Chuck.
A private memorial service is being planned for later, this summer. Those wishing to donate in memory of Jo may do so by contacting Lyndsey Crossley at the Northern Nevada Community Foundation (www.nevadafund.org).