Alice Joan "Jo" White, age 87, St. Paul, MN. Jo passed away peacefully at home at Carondelet Village on February 20, 2018 surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her infant son, Robert, parents Frank and Margaret Suel and five sisters. Survived by her husband of 67 years, Robert; children Kate, Jane (Bob) Schneeweis, Peggy, Mary (Jim) Frey, Judy (Elliot) Jaffee, Jim (Theresa), Tom, Sara (Joe) Thull and Bill (Heidi); Twenty-two grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren; sister, Helen White of Prior Lake, and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Jo grew up in Prior Lake, MN, graduated from Shakopee High School in 1948 and received her Teacher Training Certification from Mankato State in 1950.

Jo was a wife, mother, homemaker, artist, community volunteer, calligrapher, stonecutter, illustrator, organizer, friend, mentor and "Wisdom Woman". Jo and Bob raised their family in St. Paul. The love, gusto, strength, humor and organization she put into raising a large family was second to none.

Into her forties, Jo became a pioneer and avid promoter for the education and advancement of calligraphy and the graphic arts. She founded "The Whitehouse Scriptorium" in 1973, her personal calligraphy and design business that was active until 2003. In 1976, she founded The Colleagues of Calligraphy, a professional lettering group; and in 2009, the organization established the "Jo White Education Scholarship" in her honor.

Increasingly interested in travel and introducing people to the world of artistic lettering and rare manuscripts, Jo founded the "London Link" in 1981, an organization that sponsored and organized educational tours to libraries and archives around the world. In addition to her work with her professional organizations, she organized numerous calligraphy symposiums and artists' seminars and tours, both nationally and internationally, until only a few years ago.

She was a long term board member of the HMML (Hill Museum & Manuscript Library) in Collegeville, and served as Honorary Curator of Contemporary Calligraphy Collection at St. John's University. She was a valued member of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators, and received many awards and citations for her life-long commitment to the arts.

In June 2017, Jo was awarded Saint John's University's Highest honor: the "President's Citation and Medal" for her early vision, devotion and leadership in the St. John's Bible Project. She will forever be known as the "Mother of the St. John's Bible".

Our heartfelt thank you to Jo's wonderful home health care givers: Georgia, Cici, Ariana, Britney, Isatu, Naomi, Talia and Legacy Home Care. We are equally grateful to the exceptional Optage in-home Hospice care team. Their on-going compassionate care and loving support cannot be measured.

Visitation Sunday, February 25 at 4-7 PM at Carondelet Village Chapel, 525 Fairview Avenue South, St. Paul, MN 55116. Mass of Christian Burial, Monday, February 26 at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel, 1880 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105. Private Internment, Credit River Cemetery, 17491 Texas Ave, Credit River, Scott County, Minnesota, 55372. Memorials preferred to The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105.

White F. H. 952-469-2723
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