05/05/2025
Jo Anne Brown a.k.a. “Grandma”, “Mawmo”, “Grummy”, “Emmaw” of Fayetteville, Arkansas left us on May 2nd after a brief illness. Born February 6, 1930 in Kansas City, Missouri, she was a graduate of Central Missouri State Teachers College in Warrensburg. She immediately began her teaching career in a large downtown school in Kansas City with a morning class and an afternoon class numbering 50 kindergarten students each.
Jo Anne married Charles Brown in 1951. They first met in kindergarten where they shook the cream jar to make butter for crackers and pretended to be the wind for story telling time. In third grade they moved across the street from each other and shared many childhood, teenage and college times together including the time Charles pulled her out of a puddle, puddle wading being one of her favorite recreations. That puddle was eight feet deep.
They moved to Louisville, Kentucky. While Charles worked on his Bachelors of Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Jo Anne became a revolutionary member of “The Divinity Dames”, a group of pastors’ wives, determined to carve out a unique and very different role as a “Preacher’s Wife”.
She was often called to teach Sunday School Classes, lead Women’s Circle, play the piano when needed and maintain order in the pew where she worshiped and corralled their four children who were not always as interested in their father’s sermon as the rest of the congregation.
She continued her teaching career in several cities as she moved with her husband to pastor churches. In Louisville, Kentucky Jo Anne taught inner city students, many of whom had not experienced grass until Mrs. Brown took them to a city park. Their daughter, Carolyn was born there. One year later they accepted a call in Troy, Missouri. Jo Anne was active in community organizations there too. Son, Steve was born there. One year later they moved to College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout near Branson, Missouri. Their sons, Tim and Marty were born there. Jo Anne and Charles provided spiritual guidance at the school.
Additionally, Jo Anne supervised the training of college students in practical arts, sponsored the Student Council and accompanied the School Choir. Jo Anne and Charles’ next call was a ten-year partnership with Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri. Jo Anne taught kindergarten for Springfield Public Schools. She had a heart for children that struggled with school due to learning disabilities. She studied in Syracuse, New York under fellow pioneers. She returned to begin the first program that provided services to children diagnosed as learning disabled in Springfield and in Missouri and in the Midwest. The year 1970 included a move to El Dorado, Arkansas. During her twenty-three years there she implemented the first learning disability resource room of El Dorado Public Schools and later directed a Title VI Learning Disabilities Project, the largest such federally funded project in the United States. She received national recognition and attention as a speaker and writer for her ground breaking work.
She also established the first programs in Smackover and Norphlet. Summer tutoring turned into a Summer Camp for Children with Learning Disabilities. Hundreds of children have benefited from her gifts.
She received the first YWCA Woman of the Year Award and served on the United Way Board, the Hospice Board and provided training for hospice volunteers. She was active in Presbytery of the Pines where she served as Moderator of Pastoral Care, and served on the Division of Vocations and the Division of Nominations.
Upon retirement, she and Charles moved to Fayetteville where she continued her community involvement. She served as President of Single Parent Scholarship Fund for two terms and Cooperative Emergency Outreach. She renewed her interest in AAUW and devoted time to their many good causes and programs including volunteering at Jefferson School. She enjoyed book clubs, gardening, Newcomers Club, Diamond Ladies Investment Club and travel for education and recreation. She recently joined Central United Methodist Church where one could find her in her wheelchair, front row. When asked to do most anything, her impulsive response was to say, “Okay. Let’s do it!”
Her husband of 57 years, Charles (Charlie) Brown, preceded her in death on January 3 rd , 2008. She was also preceded in death by her grandson, James Powell, sister, Mary Alice Sturges Spencer of San Antonio, Texas and brother, Sidney James Sturges of Kansas City, Missouri. Jo Anne is survived by her four children, fifteen grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren ages 11 months to 20 years.
Those in the immediate family who continue their journey here while Jo Anne travels to join the Lord and those that went before her are daughter Carolyn Powell and her husband Jamie and their children Valerie, Russell and his wife Rachel and daughter Raeghan; Richard and his wife Jessica and children Cambree and Kellen; son Steve and his wife Karen and their children Cameron, Matt and his daughters, Avery, Nora and Luci, Grayson and his wife Lindsey and their children Lula, Dean and Lachlan; son Tim and his wife Donna and their children Miles and wife Carlee and their sons, Beckham and Palmer; Adam and wife Michelle and their children Millie and Walker; Kathrine Petty and husband Jamie and their daughters Charli and Quinn; and Madeline Liles and husband Travis and their children Emmy Jo, Harrison and Owen; son Marty and wife Stephanie and their children Jon and wife Autumn, Andrew and wife Stephanie and daughter Ellis, son Brad and his wife Cat and sons Oliver and Jamison and daughters Kinsley, Riley and Callie; daughter Chelsea Smith and husband Ty and their daughters Kennedy and Tenley and son Rhett.
A celebration of Jo Anne's life is Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 2pm at Butterfield Trail Village located in Fayetteville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Central United Methodist Music Fund, Single Parent Scholarship Fund, the local Salvation Army or local Special Olympics.
