Jo Ann Starks

She was born to the late Janice F. and Charles P. Hogeboom and is remembered as someone who loved unconditionally, always believed a good hairdo was in order, was dedicated to her bingo and lotto numbers, and adored animals, especially little piggies (as evidenced by her kitchen’s eclectic ceramic pig collection, her annual Christmas Pig Tree, and her five children known as “her piglets”).

As a young girl, Jo Ann had many creative outlets. Her sisters fondly recall her big sister making them clothes from various sewing patterns and Jo Ann’s skilled roller skating routines while dressed in long skirts along the side of her best friend, Anne Lazarus. During their childhoods, her children enjoyed her great home-cooked food with South Floridian flavor, personalized crocheted blankets, and warm “open door” hospitality that always extended to their friends.

In 1971, she married the love of her life, Wendell Starks, in Key West, Florida and relished a lifetime of memories as a supportive military wife and mother.

She is survived by her sisters, Linda Smith and Betty Williams (Billy), her five children, Terri Edwards (Joe), Eugene Forbus (Elena), Bo Forbus (Crystal), Traci Ruiz, and James Walter Forbus (Karen).

Jo Ann’s legacy lives on with 12 grandchildren, Joseph (Lottie), Tito (Malinda), Stefano (Emiri), Chelsea (Rusty), Jason (Donatella), Cherish, Corey (Jessica), Lindsea, Francesco (Irene), Cody, Sam, and Chase; and 7 great-grandchildren, Joseph, Jaydon, Connor, Maximus, Drake, David, and Millicent, who all live in the United States and Italy.

She will be greatly missed and would want others to preserve the importance of being together and loving one another. So in her memory, sip some Coca-Cola with a slice of her favorite strawberry cheesecake and gather around the table together.