University Times

The Katz Graduate School of Business has been stunned by the unexpected deaths of administrative assistants Margie Jonnet and Jo Ann Hartz.

Jonnet, 58, died Nov. 21, the day of the school’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon, an event she helped to establish. Colleagues said Jonnet came to work feeling poorly and quickly grew more ill. She was transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where she died that morning.

Her death prompted Katz Dean John Delaney’s message to the school’s employees: “I know that this is a particular shock today, as we have our Thanksgiving lunch scheduled in a few minutes. I leave it to you to decide whether or not to attend. At the same time, Margie always promoted fellowship and went out of her way to comfort anyone in his or her time of need. I suspect that she would rather have us get together and continue one of the strong traditions that she endorsed despite the sadness that overwhelms us now. This is a big loss for the school and all of us.”

Colleagues returned from the University’s Thanksgiving holiday break this week to the news that Hartz, who had worked side by side with Jonnet in Mervis Hall, died unexpectedly Nov. 29 while recovering from recent knee surgery.

Hartz, 60, had been on medical leave since Oct. 8 but was planning to return to work in January.

“Everyone is just in shock,” said marketing and business administration professor Jeffrey Inman, one of the faculty members for whom Hartz worked as an assistant.

Counselors from the University’s faculty and staff assistance program, Life Solutions, have been invited to the school to help faculty and staff deal with the deaths.

A committee has been established to consider suggestions for memorials at the Katz school in honor of the two women, Delaney said. Details remain incomplete.

Margaret Lucille Jonnet

Co-workers described Jonnet as committed, beloved, compassionate, friendly, helpful, professional and inspirational, with exceptional leadership and organizational skills.

“Margie Jonnet transformed the Katz school from an institution to a family,” said professor John Camillus. “She was the center of the social life of the school.”

Jonnet started at the Katz school in 1969 as a secretary after earning a secretarial certificate at the Berkeley Business School (now the Bradford School) in Pittsburgh. She had been a member of the Katz participation team — a group of business school employee volunteers who meet to discuss work problems and implement social activities — since its inception in 1987.

That service as well as her role as the school’s United Way representative for many years and her involvement in a number of community organizations earned Jonnet the Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award for Staff Employees in 2001.

Jonnet also served on the Katz safety committee.

Recently, she helped organize a luncheon as part of the annual celebration of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1960 World Series victory, which takes place outside Mervis Hall.

Katz professor Audrey Murrell said, “Margie always helped people come together or feel better over food. She discovered the best pickles at Giant Eagle Market District and organized several ‘pickle lunch’ gatherings in the office. She always brought in pie to celebrate National Pi Day, and helped to create the annual Thanksgiving dinner because she was concerned about the students who couldn’t go home for this holiday.”

In addition to school activities, Jonnet actively supported a number of charities, Murrell said. “She was very concerned about the troops who had to be away from home and families, particularly at the holidays. One of her favorite organizations was Operation Troop Appreciation. It would be a great way to honor her if people supported the troops during this holiday season.”

Camillus said, “Margie Jonnet was the leader, spokesperson and confidante of all the secretarial staff. There was no better person in a crisis and she loved managing major events like international symposiums. She had a full life outside the school, but the center of her life was the Katz school. We will miss her terribly.”

An avid bird-lover and nature enthusiast, Jonnet helped establish an adoption program for unwanted cage birds. She was an officer of the Greater Pittsburgh Cage Bird Society, the Erie Cage Bird Society and the Greater Pittsburgh Cactus and Succulent Society.

In 2001, she coordinated the establishment of the Greater Pittsburgh Water Garden Society, serving as its inaugural president.

She also was a member of Professional Secretaries International, 1980-85.

Jonnet is survived by her sister Virginia Halleran; her nieces Janet Groff, Laura Meili, Amy Sheldon and Jennifer Coleman; her nephew John Halleran Jr., and 13 great-nieces and great-nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Margaret Jonnet Memorial Fund, c/o S&T Bank, 7660 Saltsburg Rd., Pittsburgh 15239.

Jo Ann R. Hartz

Hartz began a secretarial career at Pitt in 1972 in what was then the School of Library and Information Science. She moved to the music department in 1989 and to Institutional Advancement in 1992.
She left the University in 1995, but returned to join the Katz staff in 1997.

Hartz was a capable, selfless and unflappable assistant, said professor Rabikar Chatterjee, who had worked with her since his arrival at Pitt a dozen years ago. In addition, he said, she had a terrific sense of humor. “She was so much fun to be around. She made it fun to come to work,” Chatterjee said. Hartz nicknamed his office plant Lily, although it wasn’t a lily, and cared for it when he was away. “The joke was the plant always felt happier when I was out of town,” he said.

Hartz took great pleasure in helping and doing favors for others, Chatterjee said. “She was there to help everyone else.”

Katz professor Jeffrey Inman remembered Hartz for her “can-do” attitude. “She was always willing to do whatever it took to carry out her assigned tasks and to chip in to help out when things needed to be done,” he said.

“She was a wonderful person who improved the attitudes of those around her.”

Katz Dean John Delaney said, “Jo Ann was a wonderful employee who was devoted to the school and its faculty, staff and students. She was looking forward to returning to work and had just sent a very nice Thanksgiving message to several staff members. We will miss her smile, the compassion she showed to everyone and her dedication.”

Hartz is survived by siblings Howard A. Hartz and Jean Hartz McElwain; a niece, Marianne Murdy; and nephews Brian McElwain, and Christopher and Robert Hartz.

Memorial donations may be made to Animal Friends, 2643 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh 15222.

Peter Hart & Kimberly Barlow