Jo Ann Johnson

At the age of two Jo lost her mother and was raised by her maternal grandparents Calvin and Emma Thomas. She matriculated through the Dallas school system attending G.W. Carver, Sequoyah Middle School, and L.G. Pinkston. Afterwards she decided to become a nurse and enrolled in nursing school. When she realized, she would have to use needles she changed her mind and investigated other career options.

In 1971 she met Stanley, who would become the love of her life. After a four-year courtship, they married on September 12, 1975, and raised a family of five wonderful children, Anthony, Yolanda, Hawanda, Stacey and Kristy.

In 1991, she and her family became members of Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, where she served faithfully in the mission and outreach ministries. Her work included feeding the homeless, visiting nursing homes, and caring for those who were homebound. She held a deep affection for the senior saints, often spending time with them to run errands, prepare and serve meals, or simply sit and share conversation. She never hesitated to lend a hand to anyone in need.

Though she was a devoted servant in her church, her greatest joy and most meaningful work was caring for her family. In her earlier years, she worked outside the home but often felt guilty leaving her older children responsible for their younger siblings. After much discussion with our father, they decided she would become a full-time homemaker — a decision that brought her tremendous fulfillment. She poured her heart into her family, making sure her home operated with love and order. Her days were filled with preparing meals, helping with homework, attending activities, teaching life skills, and most importantly, instilling in her children faith, humility, servanthood, unconditional love, and prayer.

She encouraged her children to pursue excellence in all they did. Every conversation with her left you uplifted — she always ended with kind words, a heartfelt prayer if needed, and an “I love you.” After talking with her, you walked away believing you could take on the world.

She was preceded in death by her great grandson, Christopher Scott; father, Leon Parramore; mother, Alma D. Scott; brothers, Johnnie Parramore and Leonard C. Jones and sisters, Sheila B. Jones and Wanda G. Jones.

She leaves to cherish her memory and legacy, her husband, Stanley E. Johnson; children, Anthony Scott, Yolanda Johnson-Allen (James), Hawanda Hill (Prinston), Stacey Spann (Edward), Kristy Johnson-Hoyt (Gary); grandchildren, LaCrystal Scott, Antonius Steele, Jr., Curtis Island III (Deja), Chameka Scott (Bruce), NaKayla Lewis, Brianna Scott, Christopher Scott, Jazmine Spann, Jacquelyne Spann, and Ashton Hoyt; sisters, Rose Walker, Pearlie Hannah (Roy), Ona Parramore and Bonita Johnson; brothers, Melvin Scott, Rickey Parramore, Frankie Parramore (Gloria), Jackie Parramore and Bobbie Hart; twelve great grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.