Josephine "Jo" A. Stokesbary

Josephine ‘Jo’ Stokesbary, age 85, passed away on Friday Oct 10, 2025, at her home in rural North Mankato surrounded in love.

Funeral Service for Jo will be held Wednesday, October 15, at 11:00 a.m., at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary with visitation held before the service 9:30-11:00 a.m. at Northview. Private Family Interment will be in the Garden City Cemetery.

Jo was born on January 25 1940, to Selma and John Vought from Butternut, MN. Jo attended country school and graduated from Lake Crystal High School in 1958. It was while working in the school lunchroom where the romance with lifelong love, Stan Stokesbary, blossomed and they married in June 1960. Three loving children, Jan, Dave, and Brian joined their family.

Over the years Jo and Stan owned/operated meat markets, grocery stores, and delis in Lake Crystal and Mankato. Jo also sold real estate and had several retail jobs in Mankato. Later they created the business Stan and Jo’s Country Creations where they hand crafted bread knives and other wooden kitchen items and then sold them at the MN State Fair for 18 years as well as at craft shows, art festivals, and town celebrations in Minnesota, the Black Hills of SD, and Minot ND. Later that business grew to other hand-crafted knives and they continued to travel to shows, taking time for lots of fun along the way. One or more of their pet dogs or cats often joined them in their travels. Jo and Stan had 65 wonderful years together.

Jo made friends wherever she went; her kindness, smile, and willingness to have a quick conversation with those she met left a lasting impression on those she met. Jo loved nature including the woods surrounding their home, and in the mountains and prairies of the West.

Jo is survived by her husband, Stan of rural North Mankato; daughter, Jan (Mark) Kelly of Walnut Grove; and son, Dave (Sharon) Stokesbary of Corvallis MT; brother-in-law, Jim Stokesbary; step grandchildren and great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, special cousins, and other family members. Also missing her at home are much loved pets Molly, Fred, and Ellie Mae.

Preceding her in death were her parents; son, Brian Stokesbary; brother, Delbert Vought; and sister, Dorothy (Maldwyn) Price; parents-in-law, Everett and Glatha Stokesbary; and sister-in-law, Chris Stokesbary.

The family would like to express their immense gratitude to staff from Care Cooperative and Ecumen Hospice for their kind and loving care provided to Jo in the last weeks of her life.

Memorials may be directed to Belgrade Ave United Methodist Church.

The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by

Mankato Area Funeral Homes.

Unforeseen technical, internet, facility, and/or acoustical circumstances may produce a diminished end product. Please note, if the live stream does not appear, we are attempting to record and publish the service for later viewing.