Joe “Jo-Jo” DeMary’s mother, Laurelle “Lou” Costello Hustead, passed away Thursday, December 7. 1940’s Monongah High grad Joe’s father also is named Joe DeMary and once owned Joe’s Bar in Monongah.

Laurelle was born July 3, 1939. Her husband, Joseph A. "Joe" DeMary, was born Noveber 28, 1937, and passed away May 3, 2007.

The couple lived in Monongah for many years and had three children. Laurelle later married Lee Hustead.

Jo-Jo is a City of Red Bank, Tennessee engineer and a graduate of Red Bank High School near Chattanooga. The former Monongah resident lives in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee.

Lou’s other children are Registered Nurse Kim DeMary Clowers, Class of 1979, who lives in Red Bank and is the widow of Earl Lee Clowers; Julie Ann DeMary of Soddy; and military veteran Joanne DeMary.

Angel Heard Gilkey of Chattanooga, Tennessee wrote: “Your mom was a blessing to my family.”

Francis Xavier Mulroney recalled: “She brought us all a Thanksgiving or a Christmas dinner, with all the fixings, when we all had to work that day.” Jo-Jo added: “She always took care of all of us!!” Francis responded: “She really took care of us rookies back in the day.”

Terri Lecroy Grizzard called Laurelle “such a sweet lady.”

Melanie Reichman Tawater, who also lives in Chattanooga, wrote: “We are heartbroken. Everyone loved Lou!”

Joan DeMary Arasteh is Jo-Jo’s cousin.