Jo Ann Etchison

Jo Ann Etchison, age 94 of Gatesville, went to be with her Lord and Savior, that she loved, on Wednesday, March 13, 2019. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, March 18, 2019 at Scott’s Funeral Home Chapel, with Dr. David Crosby officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the funeral home.   Private family interment will be at Osage Cemetery. Jo Ann was born on February 26, 1925 in Gatesville, to the late Bud and Lewis West Pollard.  She grew up in Gatesville, attended school in the Mountain community and graduated from Gatesville High School in 1942.  She married Ralph Etchison on July 10, 1954.  She enjoyed fishing, traveling, playing Eighty-Four and watching sports.  She loved the Texas Rangers, Gatesville Hornets, Jonesboro Eagles and Riesel Softball.  She often had two T.V.’s on in order to not miss one of her favorite teams.  She loved her family to the moon and back.  Her main goal in life was to spoil her grandson, Justin along with her great-grandchildren as often as possible.  She began working for Scott’s Funeral Home in the 1960’s as a bookkeeper and represented Heartland Life Insurance Company for 25 years.  At the same time, she worked for the McClellan family at Leaird’s Furniture Store as their bookkeeper and sales associate for 63 years, until her retirement in 2008.  In her career at Scott’s Funeral Home and Leaird’s Furniture, she considered those she worked with as her family and made many friends.  She was a member of First Baptist Church for over 60 years. She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, Ralph in 1995; sister, Maedell McCarver; brothers, Orville Pollard, Milton Bud Pollard, Billy Pollard; and son-in-law, Ed Hester.  She is survived by her daughter and best friend, Joy Gardner and husband, Robert; grandson, Justin Young and wife, Shanda; great-grandchildren, Addison Ann and Sutton Jack Young; and special extended family, Kim and John Edwards and family; and Jan and David Brister and family.  She was blessed and proud of her great-grandchildren, which she loved dearly.  She leaves behind her dear friends, Joy Dickie and Doretha McCallister along with her room-mate, Inez Lee that helped care for her. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to her favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, First Baptist Church, 912 E. Main Street, Gatesville, TX 76528 or Osage Cemetery, c/o Doris Schrader, 625 CR 308, Oglesby, TX 76561.