Jo Oertli is deeply grateful for her blessings. Along with her husband, Fred, whose family founded Guarantee Electrical Company, they enjoyed a full life while raising two sons, followed by three wonderful granddaughters who are their pride and joy.
In 2014, Fred passed away due to Parkinson’s disease, and while Jo embraced solitude, her sons worried about her living alone and encouraged her to consider a senior living community. For years, Jo expressed little or no interest. In early 2023, however, as she was driving through Clayton, the Bethesda Barclay House building caught her eye…and she moved in a few months later.
Describing her new home on the 17th floor, whose view overlooks Clayton’s beautiful Shaw Park, Jo calls it her “home in the clouds.” At 80 years old, she raves about the excellent food and the people she has met, both fellow residents and the always helpful staff.
Always charitable, and happy and appreciative of her new home at Barclay House, Jo contributed $25,000 to the Bethesda Health Group Foundation to help ensure that Bethesda residents who have outlived their financial resources can remain in their homes. She expressed her desire to share her blessings and assist others in finding peace.
Raised in Sikeston, Missouri, Jo was the youngest of nine children growing up during the challenging times of the Great Depression. Despite lacking material wealth, she was rich in love and familial support, and those feelings translated into her exceptional gift.
When asked about her decision to donate, she smiled and said, “You have to understand. It’s not my money; it belongs to the Lord, and I am only the custodian of it.”
