Nancy Jo (Missy) Tobia

Nancy Jo Tobia, known to most as Missy, passed away peacefully on April 21, 2025, after her battle with brain cancer. She is survived by her loving husband of 32 years, Edward Tobia, her sister Barbara Powell, her daughters, Laura Cooper and Lani DeGuire from her previous marriage to Daniel DeGuire, her stepchildren Kate Tejada and Matthew Tobia, and her grandchildren Jayne, Nina, Alex, Gabriel, Donald, and Hanna. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Dorothy Marochino, and her grandson, Wiley.

Born in Chicago on March 11, 1945, Missy spent her formative years living in New Orleans and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. She moved to Texas in 1963 to attend Our Lady of the Lake University, where she earned an undergraduate and master’s degree in education.

Missy was a lifelong teacher and dedicated over 25 years to teaching English to middle and high school students in San Antonio. She and Ed moved to Austin in 2000, where Missy spearheaded the city-wide implementation of the AVID program in Austin schools and mentored countless new teachers.

During her time as a teacher, Missy followed her spiritual path which led her to earn a master’s degree in applied spirituality, and later, a Doctor of Ministry degree. Missy spent decades providing spiritual direction to clergy and lay persons alike. Her Catholicism was the foundation for her spirituality, and she spent her adult life learning and growing spiritually. Prayer, meditation, retreats, and even dance were all ways for her to connect to a higher power.

In addition to teaching literature, Missy loved to read and write and spent decades doing much personal writing. She has written over a hundred poems which she had categorized in a binder. She was proud to step into fiction writing and self-published her first novel, “The Rosedale Tea Company,” in 2014. She was close to finishing her second novel when she was diagnosed with the brain tumor in the spring of 2024.

Missy was inclusive, open-minded, inquisitive, and thoughtful. She was friendly and forgiving, inspirational and introspective, creative and considerate, and she loved to travel and learn about other cultures. Among her many travels was a memorable trip to Spain to visit the birthplace of her favorite saint—Teresa of Avila.

Another favorite destination was the beach, and Missy’s happy place was her second home with Ed on the Gulf Coast in Port Aransas. Getting to share their beach home with close friends and family was a joyous way to spend her retirement years.

Gibby, as she was called by her loving grandchildren, relished being a fun and creative grandmother and was there when needed. Her granddaughter Nina was born with a heart defect that required nearly 9 months of hospitalization in her first year of life. Once her parents had to return to work, Gibby spent her weekdays at the hospital with Nina, ensuring she was loved and cared for. She gave her time generously, and it was a true blessing for both Nina and Gibby to be together. Time with her grandchildren was one of her greatest joys.

A cherished friend, devoted wife, and the fun-loving, atypical matriarch to her family, Missy was a kind, lively, and deeply spiritual person who was a source of comfort and joy to all. She touched many lives and had long, deep friendships—some spanning over 60 years. She will be dearly missed.

Please join us in celebrating her life on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

St. Albert the Great Catholic Church

12041 Bittern Hollow

Austin, TX 78758

Rosary at 1:30

Funeral Mass at 2:00

Celebration of Life Reception at 3:00

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Children’s Heart Foundation