Maryjo Domino Pritz

After a remarkable life's journey that lasted nearly 97 years, Maryjo Domino Pritz passed away at 4:16 a.m. on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at her home at Morning Star Village with her granddaughters Sarah and Maryjo at her side.

Maryjo was born in Rockford, Illinois on September 25, 1927, the only daughter of Anthony Domino (an immigrant from Roccamena, Sicily) and Lucy Ingrassia Domino (whose family emigrated from Camporeale, Sicily). She spent her younger years in southwest Rockford, where she lived with her family in an apartment above the Capitol Theater on South Main Street (that Theater having been built by her father and uncle). She and her cousin, Lillian Corpora Cavataio (who lived with Maryjo’s family following the death of her mother and was like a sister to Maryjo) would play on the marquee above the entrance to the Theater. Her family, which grew to include her brother, Anthony Jr., would later move to Holland Street and, ultimately, to Boilvin Avenue.  

Maryjo frequently commented about the love and attention that she received as a youth from her large Italian family, especially her many Domino and Ingrassia aunts, uncles and cousins. She forged especially close relationships that lasted a lifetime with her cousins Lillian Corpora Cavataio, Camilla Ingrassia McGuire, Camille Ingrassia Kiegel and Carmella Ingrassia Clark. The Domino and Ingrassia Family Reunions were memorable.

Maryjo attended Barbour School, Bishop Muldoon High School and graduated in 1945 from St. Clara Academy in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin where she was taught by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters. She later attended and graduated in 1949 from Rockford College where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Drama. While at Rockford College, she was elected May Queen and was also involved in the National Student Association (for which she was President of the Illinois Chapter) where she worked with Bill Gates, Sr. (Bill Gates’ dad) and Harold Washington (later the Mayor of Chicago). During World War II, Maryjo worked in a clerical support position at Rockford’s Camp Grant and after graduating from college, worked as an admissions counselor for Rockford College.

On June 28, 1950, Maryjo married  the love of her life, John Eric Pritz, at St. Peter Church in Rockford. Maryjo and John were married for 70 years prior to his passing on September 1, 2020. They had four children, John, Jr., Lucy, Tony and Bill. In addition to being a proud wife and mom, she was politically active with the League of Women Voters and in the campaigns of her friends Senators Betty Ann Keegan and Vivian Hickey. She was also a member of several long-standing book clubs and of the Catholic Women’s League.

Maryjo and John retired to their home on Tuttle Lake near Neshkoro, Wisconsin. They spent many wonderful years dividing their time between Rockford and Tuttle Lake where they enjoyed their Tuttle Lake “family”, including the Marks and Chladek families. A devout Catholic, Maryjo attended St. Peter Cathedral in Rockford while raising her family, as well as St. James Church in Neshkoro and, later, Holy Family Church in Rockford.

Maryjo was the consummate gracious hostess, regularly having holiday and other gatherings at her homes on Garfield Avenue and, later, on Crofton Drive. In her later years, Maryjo was the most supportive and adoring grandma to her 9 grandchildren; in her eyes, her grandchildren could do anything and she supported and loved them unconditionally. 

Maryjo is survived by her daughter, Lucy (Jim) Pirages of Rockford; her sons, Anthony Pritz and William (Dawn) Pritz, both of Roscoe; her daughter-in-law, Anne Pritz-Hall of Rockford; and her niece (who was like a daughter to her), Lucy Cavataio Sheata, also of Rockford. She is also survived by her 9 grandchildren, Sarah Pritz (Doug) Shields; Alyssa Pritz; Kelli Hall (Scott) Geryol; Maryjo Pirages (Nate) Reynolds; John (Andrea) Pirages; Robert Pirages; Kali (Keith) McKiski; Eric (Paige) Pritz; and Joseph Pritz.   Also survived by 9 great-grandchildren, Kellen and Owen Shields; Emi and Erynn McKiski; Lucy and Dean Reynolds; Anne and William Pirages; and Graham Geryol; her sister-in-law, Jean Domino of Rockford, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends. She was predeceased by her oldest child, John E. Pritz, Jr., on October 23, 1985.  She was also predeceased by her husband, her parents; her “sister” and her husband, Lillian Corpora Cavataio and Anthony Cavataio; her brother, Anthony Domino, Jr.; her nephew, Anthony Domino III; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Mariem (William) Niemeyer; Catherine (Tom) Cunningham; Thomas (Molly) Pritz; and Patricia (Richard) Hobart; and by her dear cousins, Leroy and Carmella Ingrassia Clark and Joe and Marie Abruzzo Turiciano.

The family thanks all of Maryjo’s health care providers but especially the loving staff at Morning Star Village, especially Jane, Shelese, Snjezaa, Chrystal, Taylor, Kathy, Kim, Diane, Evan, Kevin, Tiffany, Geriesha (and the countless others who made Maryjo so comfortable), and to the caring and supportive staff at Serenity Hospice, especially Dr. Juliette Kalweit, April and Jen.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Church, 4401 Highcrest Road, in Rockford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Church immediately following the visitation at 11:00 a.m. with Father David Beauvais officiating. For those who wish to view the funeral Mass online, please visit holyfamilyrockford.org and clock on "View livestream" five minutes before the start of the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Maryjo’s memory may be sent to the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, Wisconsin 53824 or on-line to Sinsinawa.org/donate. 

Burial will conclude in Willwood Burial Park. Share online memories and condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com