Jo Ann McLeod

Jo Ann McLeod was born on May 5, 1937 in Martin, TN. After much traveling around, she and her family settled in Marion County, FL. She attended Weirsdale High School and was a busy student, playing on the girl’s basketball team and band. After she graduated in 1955, she moved to Jacksonville, FL to attend business school.

While Jo Ann was in Jacksonville, she met a young man who lived in a boarding house across the street from her and the rest was history. On June 29, 1957 Jo Ann Lee married Joseph Donald McLeod. A year later they welcomed a daughter, Pamela Ann. In 1959 the young family moved into their first home and in 1963 they welcomed a second daughter, Deborah Leigh.

For the next 38 years Jo Ann and her family navigated through life’s ups and downs in their small home on Dodd Road. In 1997, Jo Ann and Don decided they were ready for a change and a slower pace of life, so they picked up and moved to Bryceville, FL right next door to Pam.

In Bryceville, Jo Ann and Don’s home was the hub for family gatherings, holidays, birthdays and any other occasion was celebrated in their home. Every Sunday Jo Ann cooked a big dinner and all the kids, grandkids, and eventually great grandkids, would gather. Family meant everything to Jo Ann and she passed this love to them. There was only one rule at Granny and PawPaw’s house, if you were going to fight, you had to go outside.

Jo Ann was an avid Gator fan, GO GATORS! She and Don went to as many games as they could. If you went with them, the rule was if you wanted it, you carried it.

Time passed and unfortunately, age and illness took its toll. On December 31, 2024, Jo Ann went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Her family is sure that Don was there to greet her and welcome her home.

Jo Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Ruth Lee, her husband, Don, and many cousins and friends.

She is survived by her sister Patsy Redding, her brother Mike Lee, daughters Pamela Parker and her husband Robbie, Deborah Boylan, grandchildren Amber Jones and her husband Daniel, Kaleb Parker, step-grandsons Brett, Kyle and Trey Parker; Kirsten Brechak and her husband Adam, Reilly Boylan, Matthew Boylan, Daniel Boylan, great-grandchildren, James Boylan, Leah and Teagan Jones, Charlotte and Benjamin Boylan and special family members Kathy Yates and Sherry Hice.

The family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this sad time. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family will send out an announcement with the date, time and place.