Mary Jo Allen Truman

Mrs.  Mary Jo Truman,82, of Youngstown, passed away Sunday, December 15, 2024 in Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

Mrs. Truman was born November 15, 1942, a daughter of George William and Mary Jeanette Logan Logan,  in Spindale, North Carolina,a tiny mountain town nestled between Asheville to the west and Charlotte to the east, Mary Jo Logan was the second oldest and first daughter of George William and Mary Jeanette Logan.

In 1943, the Logans moved their small but growing family to Youngstown, Ohio, in search of better opportunities. Mary Jo matriculated through Youngstown City Schools, attending Jefferson Elementary, Hayes Junior High and the Rayen School. Graduating from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and a minor in psychology, Mary Jo worked to help her family pay for her college education by working full time at Packard Electric Company in Warren.

Mary Jo developed a love for working with young people at an early age. As a teen and college student, she served as a Red Cross candy striper at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital; as a feeding assistant at Northside Hospital; a staff assistant at the Well Baby Clinic at Kimmelbrook Homes; and a tutor to elementary students in the "Teach Johnny to Read" program at the Lexington Settlement Hagstrom House. In college, her community service continued and deepened when she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., 60 years ago and became the founding president of the Zeta Gamma chapter.

After graduating from YSU, Mary Jo progressed through several positions of increasing responsibility: as an assistant program director of the YWCA's Y-Teen program; director of the Eastminster Presbytery's Southside Happening House Project on Market Street; activity therapist at the Child and Adult Mental Heath Center, all before embarking on a 26-year career at the Mahoning County Children Services Board, CSB. Mary Jo began her CSB career in 1974 as a caseworker, eventually being named Black adoption specialist. In this role, she planned, developed and initiated the CSB's first Black adoption program. Working alongside churches and community organizations, Mary Jo's efforts more than tripled Black adoptions in the program's first year. Her parents, who already had raised 10 children, even came on board to both foster and adopt children.

Following great success in that area, Mary Jo was promoted to the unit supervisor and, in 1984, became the first African-American to become an administrator in the history of CSB when she was named chief supervisor of the resource department and, later, held the same position in the group home department. In addition to founding the Black adoption program, Mary Jo served as the agency's Civil Rights representative; served as facilitator between the Foster Parent Association and its board of directors to review and revise adoption policies as well as resolve issues; managed department budgets; and, one oh her most valued tasks, coordinated 80 percent of Christmas gift donations for children in protective care.

During her lengthy career with CSB, Mary Jo earned a Master of Science degree in social administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. She also became a licensed independent social worker, a LISW, which allowed her to provide social work services as an independent social worker or counselor to countless agencies and organizations, including more than 11 years at the Juvenile Justice Center, JCC; Canfield Counseling Center; Manor West Retirement Centre; Dandridge Burgundi Nursing home, Elaine Wilson's Home Nursing Services; and Hills Home Nursing Services. For more than 18 years, Mary Jo was a part-time instructor in YSU's social work department.

In addition to her many career roles and responsibilities, Mary Jo has served numerous professional and community organizations. These include: the National Association of Black Social Workers, of which she was a founding member of the Youngstown chapter; the Youngstown Area Urban League board of directors and chairman of the personnel committee; the Youngstown Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program Inc. board of directors and treasurer; the Youngstown Area Community Action Council; Head Start Policy board of directors; the Associated Neighborhood Centers board of directors; Protestant Family Services board of directors and chairman of the search committee; Southside Happening board of directors; the YWCA board of directors and nominating committee; the D&E Counseling Center board of directors; the Youngstown State University mentor program working with students from The Rayen School and East High School; member, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP; member, Youngstown Urban League, now the Greater Warren-Youngstown Urban League; and the National Council of Negro Women Salute to Founders program organizer.

Although Mary Jo was honored and humbled by her lifetime achievements, she regarded a few of them as career highlights. These included: obtaining the Ohio Department of Human Services Adoption Opportunities grant in 1994-1995 for $70,000 and 1995-1996 for $50,000; coordinating the Mini Congress and Adoption Fair in 1996; coordinating the CSB's Stand Up for Children project in 1996; serving as presenter at the Ohio Minority Adoption Coalition Workshop of the Ohio Department of Human Services Adoption Conference in 1994; helping to develop the Ohio State Adoption Legislation Center on Adoption Rules, HB 419 in 1995; receiving appointment to the Ohio State African-American Leadership Council to develop policy, practices and recommendations regarding minority populations for then Governor Voinovich; the Lifetime Achievement Award for the National Association of Social Workers in 2004; presiding as president of her Delta Sigma Theta sorority chapter for three terms and developing the Delta Heritage project; a video-pictorial presentation of important African-American leaders of the Youngstown community; and, probably her most prized achievement, establishing a minority academic scholarship at her alma mater, Youngstown State University, in the name of her beloved parents, Deacon George and Jeanette Logan.

The greatest component in Mary Jo's life that energized her working so hard to serve others was her faith and her love of young people. Reared with a great love and discipline, the formula taught her in the Logan home was “God first, family second, then education and career.”

Mary Jo was an active member of Union Baptist Church and its deaconess board. Over the years, she held various positions in several church ministries, including Zion Hill Baptist Church. For most of her life, she was involved with youth of the church - as a mentor, activities coordinator, Sunday school teacher, and junior church director. Mary Jo's passion for faith and young people also extended beyond the walls of her own church. She also volunteered at the Beatitude House, where she held weekly sessions with the mothers of young children, and taught at Tabernacle Baptist Church's Freedom School.

Raised in a musical family, Mary Jo loved music, especially gospel. Her favorite songs, which seemed to echo her life's work were “Blessed Assurance,” “My Soul is Anchored to the Lord,” and “If I Can Help Somebody Then, My Living Will Not Be in Vain!”

Mary Jo believed that her mission and purpose in life had been lived out through her career in social work and community service. “Through my work, I have been able to provide services to our brothers and sisters who struggle everyday to survive in this world,” she said. “The love and care of others is so important, as is finding resources for families so that children can have a better life.”

Mary Jo was married to former police officer and detective, David Truman. They had two adult children, David and Michele; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Truman leaves to cherish her memory, but to celebrate her life and legacy, her husband, David M., whom she married April 1, 1969; her children, David (Resha) Truman of Youngstown, and Dr. Michele (Randy) Jones of Aurora; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; her siblings, Paul (Sandra) Logan, Barbara McCastle, Vanessa (Wilie) Austin, and Janice (Michael) Clayton, all of Cleveland, Charles (Joette) Logan of Liberty, Maureen Armour of Youngstown, Vikki Fletcher of Charlotte, North Carolina, Nakisha Peoples of Columbus, and Arnell Pharr of Atlanta, Georgia; and a host of nieces, nephews, other family, sorority sisters, church family and friends.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert and George David Logan.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to noon, with a celebration of life service to follow at noon Monday, Dec. 23, 2024 at the Union Baptist Church, 528 Lincoln Ave., Youngstown.

Ministry of comfort and dignity entrusted to the L. E. Black, Phillips and Holden Funeral Home.

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