Thank you Joe, for posting this and thank you all for your kind words. I just got this in an email this morning;
Remembering Jo Melusky
Phoenix employees were saddened to learn of the death earlier this week of Josephine Melusky, paralegal, Law Department, just a month shy of her 90th birthday. Jo, who was Phoenix's longest serving active employee at an amazing 72 years, will be remembered for her boundless energy, fierce independence and exceptional loyalty to the company and her Phoenix family.
Josephine began her career at Phoenix in 1941 in the Real Estate department, preparing oil and gas leases for Phoenix's farm investments. Over the years, she worked in a variety of positions and adjusted her schedule when her children were young, at one point typing policies from 5 to 10 p.m.
Phoenix was a big part of Jo's life, and she enjoyed the time she spent socializing with her colleagues and being involved in company activities. In her early years with the company, Jo was an active member and officer of the Phoenix Club, planning company outings and picnics. She was also a ready volunteer for various company-sponsored community projects including the Day of Caring and Habitat for Humanity well into her 80s.
"Jo was always a great asset to the Law Department and, in recent years, both Law and Compliance," says John Mulrain, general counsel. "In addition to sharing with us over the years truckloads of vegetables from her garden and mountains of cakes and cookies from her oven, she was a great teacher and guide. She took me under her wing when I was a rookie at Phoenix twenty years ago and I saw her do the same for our most recent legal intern. The company, and especially the 11th floor, will miss her."