Mary Jane Romeo

Mary Jane Romeo, 93, passed away peacefully on June, 17, 2022. Born in Peoria, IL as the only daughter of Lucille and J. Earl Babbitt. Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her two brothers, James and Weston Babbitt, and her husband of 51 years, Dominick G. Romeo. She is survived by her daughter, Lynnea (Romeo) Gehring and her son-in-law Richard W. Gehring.



As a former fashion model from the 1950's, Mary Jane continued her love of fashion with designer clothes, proudly worn as trophies from her pursuit of bargain finds. She also posed as a nude model for the sculptor, Ivan Mestrovic, who created a number of sculptures within the University of Notre Dame campus in South Bend, IN. Known for her outrageous sense of humor and her quote, "No one is a stranger", she made friends effortlessly. She hated to cook and refused to eat anything that "flies or swims", her quote. While raising her daughter in the 1960s and 70s, she worked tirelessly to promote speech therapy and integration into public school system for children with disabilities. She looked forward to her reunions at Broadview Academy, where she had made many lifelong friends. During the late 1970s to early 1980s, she enjoyed success as a real estate broker, achieving several million-dollar yearly sales status. Her last position as a security escort for Lockheed Martin provided "lipstick money". Upon retirement, she continued to enjoy her martinis (three olives), traveling, visiting family and friends in other states, watching her soap operas, and her beloved Siamese cat, Tai.



In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Casa Bella Preferred Assisted Living/Memory Care or Kindred Hospice. Please mention that your gift is in honor of Mary Jane Romeo.