Joanne Koonts Craver, 87, passed away July 14, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born December 27, 1930 in Lexington, North Carolina to Nellie and Protus Koonts. Joanne was the third of four daughters and went on to have four daughters of her own. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Ralph, for 56 years. Ralph often said that he remembered Joanne from their first grade class. After high school, she attended college at the Women’s College of Greensboro.
She was a homemaker and devoted mother to her daughters. She and Ralph lived in several places in North Carolina before settling in Jacksonville, Florida in 1961. She loved living in Florida and her hobbies included gardening, shopping, and keeping up with her girls’ activities. She and Ralph were long-standing members of Lakewood United Methodist Church where she volunteered in the front office for many years.
In later years, she found joy in the visits from her grandchildren and great-grandchild. She had a special gift for soothing a crying baby. Some of her favorite things included the color blue, church music, dancing, political commentary, Pilates, and chocolate.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph and sister Carolyn Pitts. She is survived by her sisters, Patty King (Lexington, NC) and Lala Myers (Clover, SC); daughters, Chris Craver, Karen Dishongh (Jeff), Julie Scott (Dan), and Toni Pyatt (Emmett); grandchildren, Melissa McConathy, Meredith Dishongh, Camille Dishongh, Chase Scott, Jake Pyatt, and Kasey Pyatt; and great-granddaughter, Sophie McConathy.
Visitation will be held at 10:30 a.m. with funeral services at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, July 18, 2018 at Lakewood United Methodist Church, Jacksonville, Florida. Interment and a reception will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kingswood United Methodist Church, Dunwoody, Georgia for upgrades to the Sanctuary Audio/Visual System.
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