April 25, 2014, its is a sad day to have learned the death of Jo Stuart, a fine columnist, a fine person who spent many, many years writing for A.M. Costa Rica.
I only met Jo once at a social event, and we laughed since I was her antithesis to her weekly column, “Butterfly in the City”. Jo always, but always wrote and indeed documented her love with San José, the people, the pure joy in using both public transportation, eating out of the way foods, as well as her support of the public health care system best known as the Caja.
She documented hope and faith.
Jo died as she lived, the consummate liberal, a “giver”, a U.S. – Costa Rican gem who could find the good in almost every situation and who could call up, in an instant, experiences with her “good friends” from the past which we somehow found intertwined with a compelling column, every Friday, like a clock. (Magic Realism in 250 words.)
The columns never condemned, they never promoted, they only said what she experienced and her deep love for a city, a country many people intensely dislike; even hate. But Jo found the beauty within San Jose and told us where to search, where to look and “…you shall find.”
Jo Stewart donated her remains to science. She was and in my mind remains a true giver. A befitting way for her finish of life and my prayers go to her, her family, her readers and even to A.M. Costa Rica for their collective loss. As the Twitter says: “RIP”.
Jo, we will miss you very much, but we will not forget you.
