Jo Ann "Joanna" Marilyn Mishler

Jo Ann began her extensive performing career as a majorette for the Fort Dodge high school and became an exceptional actor, acting coach, director, choreographer, writer, poet, costumer and college instructor.

With a BA degree in theatre and a MA in higher education, plus PHD study, she became a professional actor and director in St. Louis, Missouri. She joined Actors ’ Equity and performed at the Municipal Opera, plus dinner and regional theatres, appearing with stars such as Vincent Price, Shirley Jones, Roberta Peters and Donald O’Connor.

In her later years, she added teaching Composition and Speech, always helping students with English as a second language. She and her late husband starred in the Indie movie, Pawn’s Move, written as work for hire by her daughter and produced by CV Productions. As time continued, Jo Ann couldn’t keep up her exhausting commitment to theatre due to illness. But the Lord saw fit to put lovely Christians in her path for her remaining years; her neighbors and friends; Alice; Dan and Julie; Jenn and Jason; and her recent nursing aides, Darneisha and Toneisha. All loved “Joanna” dearly.

Survived by Jo Ann is her daughter, Kim Wells and her husband Bob, their eight children and soon to be 20 grandchildren (Lord-willing). Jo Ann’s grandchildren are as follows: John Wells (Allie): great-grandson August; Olivia Leonard (Christopher), great-grandsons, Justice, Theodore, and Arthur, and great-granddaughter Eliana; Christina Williams (Jack), great-grandsons Jackson and Solomon and great-granddaughter Clarity. Sophia Thompson (Andrew), great-grandsons, Fletcher and Silas, and great-granddaughter Evelynn; Winston Wells (Hannah), great-granddaughter Isabelle and great-grandson Dante; Roberta Thompson, (Nathaniel), expecting great-granddaughter Eden; Conrad Wells; Michaela DeLadurantey (Tom); great-grandsons Alexander and Oliver. Jo Ann’s deceased son, Kurt Holt, is survived by granddaughter Barbara and great-granddaughter Naveah, and great-grandson Noah.

Jo Ann(a) loved flowers… especially red ones. Being a red head, she rebuked the common thought that redheads should never wear red.

A graveside service for Joanna will be held Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary, 801 19th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265, followed by a reception.