Virginia Lanette (Jo) Dishman passed away on December 2, 2012 at James River Care Center with family by her side.
Born May 1, 1919, to Bud and Maggie Potter in their Strafford home, Jo grew up on a large dairy farm where she witnessed the construction of road (now HWY) 125 past her home.
At 19 she married Willard King Dishman, who courted Jo by placing notes in her mother’s grocery bags. For 1 year late in the war, Willard managed the MFA Farm Club and Jo was bookkeeper. Much of their marriage was spent on their Grade A dairy farm in Webster County. Jo kept house, helped milk cows, cooked for haying and threshing crews, and even tilled ground with the doodle bug. She was active in home extension club work and was a 4-H leader. She enjoyed weekend pinochle games, square dancing, sledding as well as organizing entertainments for Goss Community. In the 60’s Willard and Jo bought a second house in Strafford, and Jo worked at Pic-N-Pay. From 1980, she relished living in her current house on Historic Route 66.
For the last 7 years Jo has resided at James River Care Center where she enjoyed bingo, residence council, pretty nails, various outings, and dressing up for special occasions. As recently as this spring, she attended a Springfield Cardinals game. When asked later how she enjoyed the game , she smiled sheepishly and said, “ I slept through the whole thing.” Jo is preceded in death by her husband Willard; sisters Opal Boyer, Zola Campbell, Billie Seamon, and Almeda Triplett Miner; Nephews Bob Boyer and Jack Campbell.
She is survived by a son and daughter, both educators. Rod is a professor at the University of Georgia; Billie Jo is a professor emeritus at Evangel University. Other survivors include Rod’s wife Sharon (nee Alter) and Billie’s husband Anthony Robertson; grandchildren Tony Robertson, Robbee Stafford, Jessica Dishman-MacArthur, Corinne Lowe, and Adrienne Dishman; and 7 great grandchildren, Ashton, Evan, Ian, Jackson, Emme, Paris, and Luke; a sister-in-law Doris Dysart; a brother-in-law Turner Miner ; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 6-8 PM at Greenlawn Funeral Home North on Thursday December 6, 2012. Funeral service will be 1:00 PM Friday at Strafford United Methodist Church where Jo has been a member for 81 years. Burial will follow in Dishman Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Strafford UMC.
The family expresses thanks to James River Care Center and Hospice Compassus for providing loving care to Virginia (Jo). Memorial Condolences may be left at www.greenlawnfuneralhome.com.