JoAnn Faulkner Murray

JoAnn Faulkner Murray, a true and faithful servant of the Lord, went home to be with Him on October 30, 2026. Her family and friends find comfort in knowing that the Lord had prepared a place for JoAnn, and when the time came, she was ready to take her place next to Him.

JoAnn was born on November 23, 1940, in Roaring Springs, Texas, to Forrest and Emma Faulkner (née Thomas). This was no ordinary birth, mind you! She was born at her parents’ home during a snowstorm, with her 21-year-old aunt Mae holding a lantern as the only source of light as the doctor delivered her. Weighing in at over 11 pounds and with unusually broad shoulders for a newborn, JoAnn’s birth was both dangerous and difficult for Emma. But both mom and daughter persevered, and JoAnn entered this world loud and healthy, albeit a bit dramatically. Somehow big brother Forrest slept through it all!

JoAnn’s “Irish twin” sister Betty was born in October of the next year (same house, same doctor!). Shortly afterward, the young family moved to San Marcos so Forrest Sr. could attend Army Air Corps Service training. They then moved to the “big city” of Austin in 1944 and ultimately ended up in a house on Wynona Drive in Allandale that would become JoAnn’s childhood home.

Forrest Sr. was tragically killed in 1945 at the age of 29 while flying in a C-46 over Palo Duro Canyon. Second Lieutenant Faulkner was awarded a Purple Heart. Emma would soon go on to meet Rudolph Stephen “Steve” Deutsch and they were wed in 1948. They welcomed two more daughters, Cathy and Sarah Jane. Steve owned and operated the first store that sold televisions in Austin, and you can imagine how well those perks went over in a family with five children!

Austin was JoAnn’s and Betty’s playground. They would ride the bus downtown to go shopping at Scarbrough’s department store, run banking errands for their mom at the American National Bank of Austin (this was a favorite for the sisters because it was the first building in Austin with an escalator), and see movies at the Paramount Theater. One Saturday they packed their lunches at home, hopped on the bus to head downtown, and settled into their seats at the Paramount to watch “Gone with the Wind,” not once, but twice!

Summers were often spent at their grandparents’ house in Flippin, Arkansas. There JoAnn, Betty, their siblings, and their cousins would drink spring-fed water straight from the creek, chase each other through the open fields, and climb trees in the apple orchard. One time JoAnn and Betty were wandering through the apple orchard when their grandfather’s bull saw them and made a beeline for them. Luckily they were close to their favorite apple tree, so they scampered up it. The bull stood at the bottom of the tree, pawing at the ground while JoAnn and Betty ate apples and patiently waited. Eventually the bull got bored and wandered off, leaving the girls to climb down and run back to the house, no doubt laughing the whole way.

JoAnn attended Rosedale Elementary, Baker Jr. High, and McCallum HS, which she graduating in 1958. She then enrolled at the University of Texas (hook ‘em!), where she majored in Education. She was also a member of Hyde Park Baptist Church, and during a church event, she met a fellow UT student named Emory. Emory first told JoAnn that his name was Emory Board, and then he told her it was Clyde Claude. JoAnn later told a friend, “that guy was so silly and I don’t care if I ever see him again.” Apparently she had second thoughts because she married that silly guy on January 26, 1961, and they spent 61 years together until Emory’s passing on January 29, 2022.

Emory’s nickname for JoAnn was “Bunny,” and he called her that so often that people often mistook it for her actual name. Emory and Bunny shared a full life together, filled with great joy but also marked by their share of heartache. They lived all over Texas, as well as in Virginia and Puerto Rico, before buying a house on Mercedes Avenue in Dallas in 1972. It became their lifelong home and the setting for countless cherished memories.

Relatives and friends alike remember 5929 Mercedes as a house full of love, laughter, and beautiful chaos. There always seemed to be something going on, and JoAnn’s nephew recently remarked that she seemed to thrive on the whirlwind of activity. The kids and their friends had carte blanche for the most part, with JoAnn wholeheartedly believing in letting kids be kids. She let them ride their Big Wheels inside the house, jump on the beds, and even swing across the dining room on the chandelier (RIP chandelier). There were always animals underfoot, and sometimes even the chickens made their way inside the house! JoAnn made sure everyone felt welcome. She didn’t just say “mi casa es su casa,” she lived it.

JoAnn was a teacher, and as much as she loved it, she loved her children more and gave up her teaching career shortly after the birth of their first child, Clinton, in 1966. Nathan came along in 1969, followed by Amy Jo in 1971. This was a difficult, complicated time for Emory and JoAnn, as they lost Clinton on the same day that Amy was born. His passing was a heartache that never fully healed. In 1974 the Murray family was completed with the birth of Kayla.

Once all of her children were out of elementary school, JoAnn returned to the classroom as a permanent substitute teacher, allowing her to once again do something she loved while still making her family her first priority. While she worked at several DISD elementary schools, she spent most of her years at Lipscomb Elementary, where she became a beloved and familiar presence. The teachers she worked with remember her as kind, hardworking, and always willing to lend a hand. JoAnn remained with DISD for more than 15 years.

Before moving to 5929 Mercedes, JoAnn and Emory lived for a time in Farmers Branch, where they attended Webb Chapel Baptist Church. While there, they came up with the idea for a grassroots bus ministry and asked fellow church member Johnny Jackson if he would be willing to serve as a temporary bus driver. That “temporary” gig turned into a 12-year ministry, one that JoAnn, Emory, and Johnny continued long after JoAnn and Emory had moved away from Farmers Branch. Each week, they brought children from homes in West Dallas to church so they could attend Sunday School. We can only imagine how many children came to know the Lord because of their efforts. But the ministry wasn’t all serious business! A favorite after-church tradition was stopping at one of the big courtyard fountains at Highland Park Village, where the kids (and Emory, of course!) would jump in and splash around.

Emory and JoAnn eventually decided to stop making the long drive from East Dallas to Farmers Branch for church and began attending East Grand Baptist Church in East Dallas around 1986. They became deeply involved in the church and remained so as East Grand became GrandView Baptist Church, eventually making its home in Mesquite, where the new church facility was dedicated in 2000. GrandView would remain an important part of Emory and JoAnn’s lives, and they, in turn, became an important part of the church, generously supporting it with their time, talents, and resources and faithfully serving its congregation and ministries for many years.

JoAnn and Emory packed up the kids every summer for a family road trip. They traveled all over the United States, visiting national parks, family members, and whatever interesting stops they found along the way. Then there were, of course, the bus trips to Mexico! While everyone wasn’t always as excited about these “adventures” as Emory, they later appreciated them for the stories they would tell for years to come.

JoAnn was known for her boundless generosity and loving spirit. One story that perfectly captures this comes from when she was just two years old. Her mother had given her a saltine cracker, but instead of taking the first bite herself, JoAnn handed it to Betty. It was simply her instinct to put others first, a quality that remained with JoAnn throughout her life.

Heaven has gained the rarest kind of angel: one who was already an angel on Earth, but simply hadn’t gotten her wings yet. JoAnn lived a life rooted in faith and family and overflowing with love, laughter, generosity, children, animals, adventure, and just the right amount of beautiful chaos. She opened her home, her heart, and her life to others without hesitation, and countless people were better for having known her. What a gift it was to have her here for 85 years, and what a privilege it was to love her and be loved by her.

JoAnn is survived by her daughter Kayla; her sisters Betty, Cathy, and Sarah; her nephews Kevin, Stephen, Mark, John Steven, Damon, and niece Megan; her GrandView Baptist Church family; and countless friends. JoAnn was preceded in death by her husband Emory Paul, Jr.; her children Clinton Thomas, Nathan Patrick, and Amy Jo; her parents Emma and Forrest Faulkner; her stepfather Rudolph Deutsch; her brother Forrest Faulkner, Jr.; and her niece Beth Faulkner Sones.

JoAnn’s family extends its heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers at Jackson’s Place, who cared for her with kindness, patience, and compassion over the last two years and became an important part of her life. The family is equally grateful to the nurses and staff of Amity Hospice for the compassionate care and support they provided to JoAnn during the final months of her life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following three charities: Prison Fellowship Ministries; Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; or the SPCA of Texas.

The family will receive visitors from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Laurel Land Memorial Park, 6300 South R.L. Thornton Freeway in Dallas, Texas, with the service following at 11:00 a.m. There will also be a livestream option. A graveside service will take place directly afterward.

“With His hand on my shoulder I’ll have everlasting peace.” - Marty Robbins