It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of JoJuana McColm. JoJuana was a lifelong resident of the Central Valley, having moved several times before the age of 10, her family settled in Fresno. Her brother, Jim, was born in 1939 and the two would enjoy a lifelong friendship.
JoJuana began her work career early, at the age of 14, working at Fresno Dry Goods and eventually working her way up to women's clothing buyer. This job allowed her to finish her first two years of college before marrying Donald McColm. She and Don would eventually have three daughters - Jane, Jill & Jennifer. Jo was a stay-at-home mom until Jennifer was in elementary school when she returned to Fresno State to finish a BA in Health Science. It was at this point that she discovered her love of teaching when she decided to work part-time as a substitute teacher for the Fresno and Sanger Unified school districts. Eventually she would spend several years working for the Fresno Adult School helping her students achieve their high school education through GED classes. She would continue to teach until her retirement in the early 90s.
From 1985 to 1990, she would welcome six granddaughters, two each to her three daughters. After Don's death in 1996, she spent several years spending time with grandchildren & great grandchildren and trips with family & friends. After the death of their mother in 2009, she and her brother would become roommates where Jim would eventually become her devoted caregiver until her passing.
We will miss her laugh, wonderful sense of humor, her love and devotion to her family and beloved little dog, Daisy.
She leaves behind her brother, James Scott; her sister-in-law, Janet Parkman; her three daughters, Jane Aud (John), Jill Spruance (Kim), Jennifer Roe; granddaughters, Joy Battaglia, Joelle Spencer, Morgan Condie, Shelby Roberts, Emily McCormick & Keri Neil and 11 great grandchildren.
The family kindly requests that donations be made in Jo's memory to their favorite charity.
