MARYJO A.
KWETT
July 23, 1984 – July 15, 2000
Born: July 23, 1984: Carmichael, California
Died: July 15, 2000
Education: St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, Loretto Catholic High School
Honors: Student Ambassador to Australia, Lead singer and piano player for school graduation
Organizations: St. John the Evangelist School Drama and School Choir, Parish Gospel Choir, Maryknoll Call and Response Service Group, Newcomers, People to People Program, Aloha Hawaiian Dancers, and St. John’s Shelter Service Group
Interests: Painting, writing poetry, singing, playing piano, flute and piccolo, acting, dancing including ballet, tap, jazz, and hula, and martial arts
Awards: Sacramento State University recital competition award, Group Elly award for Discovery Theatre presentation of The Christmas People, and Jr. Black belt
Parents: Rose and Peter Kwett
{ Part 1 }
an art-filled early childhood
maryjo with her grandmother
MaryJo Kwett came into this world at 9:21 a.m. on Monday, July 23, 1984, in Sacramento, California. Rose and Peter, her mom and dad, firmly believe that from this very first moment MaryJo had the delightful aura of a most beautiful angel. Even at her Baptism at Presentation Parish, MaryJo, whose name was a fusion of her grandmothers’ first names, Marylouise and Josefa, seemed to understand that something very special was happening. At two months of age, MaryJo was already exercising, and she started speaking at seven months, and walking and dancing at ten months. To further develop both her mind and body, MaryJo’s parents enrolled her in ballet, tap dancing, gymnastics, piano and violin lessons, and music appreciation. Also at a very young age, MaryJo attended the local Broadway Academy.
the young ballerina
Jazz entranced MaryJo. She took voice lessons with jazz singer, Shelly Burns, and liked jazz so much that she joined the St. John the Evangelist Adult Gospel Choir, which performed at Cal Expo concerts and many other concerts at different churches. The talented MaryJo was the only teenager in this group. One parishioner commented, “ MaryJo was such a special young lady. She touched all our hearts in a special way. She was a gem.”
violin lessons
{ Part 2 }
the budding artist
Maryjo’s lighthouse painting
MaryJo and her younger brother Albert both leapt in their knowledge and skills in artistic expression during drawing lessons. When she was four years old, Albert was born, and MaryJo became a big sister to him. Although she could be his mischievous playmate, MaryJo was also a nursemaid to Albert during their younger years, and she was always careful to be gentle, kind, and loving to him when they were together. Their work was displayed at art exhibits. Sylvia, their art teacher, commented, “ With MaryJo’s advanced art skills and patient demeanor, I knew that she would make a great teacher’s aide if she wanted the position.” MaryJo completed paintings of various subjects ranging from landscapes, animal studies, and architecture.
a self-portrait
The artist with her brother
When MaryJo decided to join the martial arts, she made a conscious effort to choose one from which she could benefit not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Thus, she chose Wing Chun Kung Fu, a fighting style developed by the Buddist monks at the Shaolin Temple, which was perfected in successive generations by a female monk. MaryJo earned a junior black belt and was only one step away from receiving an adult black belt.
{ Part 3 }
touching others through theatre
in the christmas play
playing glinda in the wizard of oz
MaryJo continued to develop her talents in the performing arts. She wanted to touch people’s hearts and minds through words and ideas. When MaryJo was ten years old, she was the narrator in the Discovery Theater Company’s children’s musical The Christmas People. This play won an Elly Award in the Performing Arts Competition. Michael, the director and producer, wrote this about MaryJo. “It has been a treat directing you. Stick with the theatre. You have great potential. You have a great presence on stage.”
Following this journey in the theatre arts, MaryJo auditioned with Music Circus for a role as one of the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music. She played the witch in The Magic Book, and the title role in the play Heidi. While in junior high at St. John the Evangelist School, MaryJo played the roles of Wendy and a Native Girl in Peter Pan. Then again in eighth grade, she played Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, and she was also one of the Emerald City dancers. Joanne Giffard, director of S.J.E.’s Drama Program, was touched by MaryJo’s grace, generosity, and stage presence. For these reasons, a photo of MaryJo as Glinda was used for many years in the introduction of every drama video.
MaryJo’s multicultural background seeded her interest in numerous cultures. Her extended family on her maternal side formed the Newcomers in 1991, when MaryJo was only six years old. This group performed Filipino folk dances, hula, and contemporary dance routines. As part of the Newcomers, MaryJo, along with her mother Rose, and her grandmother Josepha, performed in Sacramento, the Bay Area, and Los Angeles for multicultural activities, benefit events, and even private parties. After performing for less than two years, this group was nominated for the Philippine Review’s Award of Excellence in the Performing Arts category. MaryJo also performed professionally with the Aloha Hawaiian Dancers.
performing a traditional dance of the philippines
{ Part 4 }
A compassionate soul, nurturer,
and student ambassador
student ambassador to australia
In the eighth grade at the age of thirteen, MaryJo was accepted as the student ambassador to Australia by the People to People Program. Her written chronicle on her experiences there was published in The Carmichael Times. Later when the Gospel Choir’s concert tour to Ireland in 1998 was cancelled, MaryJo and her mom forged ahead and toured not only Ireland, but also Scotland and Wales. Afterwards, MaryJo wished to celebrate every birthday in a different country. Thereafter, the family traveled extensively around the world. Fifteen countries were visited, and the time spent together was unforgettable and meaningful.
When MaryJo was a sophomore at Loretto High School during the summer of 2000, she joined the Maryknoll Call and Response Service Project on a mission to Mexico to work with physically handicapped children. In her journal response to one of the questions given the participants, MaryJo responded,“I will take this trip again. For ten days you can leave the comforts of home; you are forced to forget. No, you are liberated from all material possessions that ever bound your soul to the material world, and you can live for the first time. To help people is no longer ‘a job’ you do for service hours, it becomes an emotion as compelling as love!”
MaryJo again was scheduled to help others on July 15, 2000. It was her plan to go to the St. John’s Shelter for battered women to play the guitar, so that she could share her love of music with the staff, the mothers, and their children. As MaryJo was not feeling well that Saturday, her mom told her to call in sick. On that day in July, just eight days before MaryJo’s sixteenth birthday, MaryJo died of meningococcal meningitis.
MaryJo was empowered as a nurturer. Her positive impact on the community is worth remembering. MaryJo accomplished much in her life leaving many with an enduring memory of a too-short-lived but full and beautiful life.
Credits:
Author: Rose Kwett
Photos:
Intro: MaryJo at age 15
Contents: MaryJo with grandmother
Part 1: MaryJo’s lighthouse painting
Part 3: At the theater with her dad and brother
Part 4: In London with her dad and brother
reading to a physically-disabled young man
{ Part 5 }
fantasy
“Fantasy”
By: MaryJo Kwett
The trees
hang heavy in the red mist
reaching the giraffes’ necks
Behind this great tree forest,
a lake shines brilliantly in the mid-noon sun.
And the fish,
hop, jump, and fly, across the lake like shooting stars.
The hunter sits
behind a great crimson tree,
his dog frolicking happily
in the meadow flowers
mindless of the great white elk
which the hunter is eyeing.
Behind this lake and tree forest,
sits a lone mountain,
speckled with green,
blue,
and yellow flowers.
Yet further still
I see a small hill,
on which two fighting armies
shake hands in peace.
(Published in 1996 in the American Poetry Annual.)
maryjo with the little children she loved
A Family Friend
My Two Choices
With the death of my daughter MaryJo, I was confronted with two choices.
I could become angry, bitter, or remorseful.
My mind and heart could be filled with confusion,
Or, I could trust God. I chose to trust God
Because I knew that she was in a good place.
When you trust God, He replaces your despair with peace!
MaryJo had these quintessential qualities:
VITAL – MaryJo understood the importance of being a reasonable and responsible person. She did not passively observe life, but actively and passionately contributed to both her own life and to others.
ACCEPTING – No one, no matter his age or circumstance was a stranger to MaryJo.
PROACTIVE – MaryJo engaged all of us no matter where we were, and made us feel good about ourselves.
WARM – MaryJo was a committed and caring person. She put that caring into action, and each of us is richer for it.
MaryJo, I was and always will be very proud of you . . . Love, Dad.
Peter Kwett – Dad
My friend
“MaryJo was a good friend to me from the start at Loretto High School. She was always loyal, friendly, cheerful, artistic, and very pretty. Never did she speak negatively of anything or anyone. MaryJo was an amazingly wonderful, really cool, and gifted person.”
Laura Brimberry – Friend
My special student
I know that I don’t need to tell you that MaryJo was a beautiful young woman, thoughtful, kind, curious, and playful. Oh, I remember when my husband brought my son and daughter over for lunch at Loretto High School. MaryJo would come to class just as they were about to leave and kiss little Ian on the head to get her “baby fix”, and she always had a word or two for Emma, which was very sweet, as she was sometimes left out of the fuss some people made over her little brother.
Perhaps what I admired most about MaryJo as her classroom teacher, was that she seemed to study in order to learn, not merely to make a particular grade. This actually worked. MaryJo and one other student received the highest scores in their AP (Advanced Placement) exam. I was so proud of her.
Teresa Hilts – Loretto High School