Jo Ann Williams Duke, 83, of Mount Holly, NC, was a daughter of the late Dewey Lee Williams (1931) and Elsie Wike Williams Clark (1982). She was preceded in death by her stepfather, Joyce White Clark (1983), and her only niece, Susan Leigh Stanley (1984).
A graduate of Mount Holly High School in 1949 and Woman's College of the University of North Carolina in 1953, Jo Ann began a career in education teaching first grade in Charlotte at Parks-Hutchinson School for one year and at Tryon Hills Elementary School for 11 years. She taught kindergarten for several years at the First United Methodist Church Preschool in Mount Holly, before returning to public school as a first grade, second grade, and kindergarten teacher at Pinewood Elementary School in Mount Holly, where she taught for 20 years. After retiring in 1993, she received recognition for a career of service from the Gaston County NCAE and returned to teach at the FUMC Preschool where she had served earlier. A member of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization of Women Educators and the Classroom Teachers Association of North Carolina, she volunteered as a surrogate parent for the department of exceptional children of Gaston County Schools. Throughout her career, Mrs. Duke delighted in inspiring children to communicate and learn in creative ways. Baptized in 1941 at First Baptist Church in Mount Holly, Jo Ann's faith and life journey included many years as an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Holly where she married Dr. Robert L. Duke on June 23, 1957. In 1995, she joined the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and served as a lay reader, a member of Circle #5, and participated in adult and children's Sunday School, as well as a Wednesday morning bible study class. Along with her husband Bob, she was a member of a couples bridge club for 55 years. A member of the Mount Holly Book Club and an honorary member of the Mount Holly Rotary Club as well as a Paul Harris Fellow, she enjoyed being a member of the Mount Holly Historical Society and loved having coffee with "the girls" every Monday. Jo Ann and Bob enjoyed many events and plays at Belmont Abbey College and in the community over the years, monthly lunches with the Class of '49, lunches with cousins in Claremont and the Wike family reunion as well as numer-ous trips to New Mexico and Texas to visit Lisa, Dann and Michael and to New Orleans to visit Dan. She loved visiting with others and sharing stories.
Interment in Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery.
Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly, NC is serving the family.
Published in Gaston Gazette on Feb. 15, 2015
A graduate of Mount Holly High School in 1949 and Woman's College of the University of North Carolina in 1953, Jo Ann began a career in education teaching first grade in Charlotte at Parks-Hutchinson School for one year and at Tryon Hills Elementary School for 11 years. She taught kindergarten for several years at the First United Methodist Church Preschool in Mount Holly, before returning to public school as a first grade, second grade, and kindergarten teacher at Pinewood Elementary School in Mount Holly, where she taught for 20 years. After retiring in 1993, she received recognition for a career of service from the Gaston County NCAE and returned to teach at the FUMC Preschool where she had served earlier. A member of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization of Women Educators and the Classroom Teachers Association of North Carolina, she volunteered as a surrogate parent for the department of exceptional children of Gaston County Schools. Throughout her career, Mrs. Duke delighted in inspiring children to communicate and learn in creative ways. Baptized in 1941 at First Baptist Church in Mount Holly, Jo Ann's faith and life journey included many years as an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Holly where she married Dr. Robert L. Duke on June 23, 1957. In 1995, she joined the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and served as a lay reader, a member of Circle #5, and participated in adult and children's Sunday School, as well as a Wednesday morning bible study class. Along with her husband Bob, she was a member of a couples bridge club for 55 years. A member of the Mount Holly Book Club and an honorary member of the Mount Holly Rotary Club as well as a Paul Harris Fellow, she enjoyed being a member of the Mount Holly Historical Society and loved having coffee with "the girls" every Monday. Jo Ann and Bob enjoyed many events and plays at Belmont Abbey College and in the community over the years, monthly lunches with the Class of '49, lunches with cousins in Claremont and the Wike family reunion as well as numer-ous trips to New Mexico and Texas to visit Lisa, Dann and Michael and to New Orleans to visit Dan. She loved visiting with others and sharing stories.
Interment in Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery.
Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly, NC is serving the family.
Published in Gaston Gazette on Feb. 15, 2015
Jo Ann Williams Duke, 83, of Mount Holly, NC, was a daughter of the late Dewey Lee Williams (1931) and Elsie Wike Williams Clark (1982). She was preceded in death by her stepfather, Joyce White Clark (1983), and her only niece, Susan Leigh Stanley (1984).
A graduate of Mount Holly High School in 1949 and Woman's College of the University of North Carolina in 1953, Jo Ann began a career in education teaching first grade in Charlotte at Parks-Hutchinson School for one year and at Tryon Hills Elementary School for 11 years. She taught kindergarten for several years at the First United Methodist Church Preschool in Mount Holly, before returning to public school as a first grade, second grade, and kindergarten teacher at Pinewood Elementary School in Mount Holly, where she taught for 20 years. After retiring in 1993, she received recognition for a career of service from the Gaston County NCAE and returned to teach at the FUMC Preschool where she had served earlier. A member of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization of Women Educators and the Classroom Teachers Association of North Carolina, she volunteered as a surrogate parent for the department of exceptional children of Gaston County Schools. Throughout her career, Mrs. Duke delighted in inspiring children to communicate and learn in creative ways. Baptized in 1941 at First Baptist Church in Mount Holly, Jo Ann's faith and life journey included many years as an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Holly where she married Dr. Robert L. Duke on June 23, 1957. In 1995, she joined the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and served as a lay reader, a member of Circle #5, and participated in adult and children's Sunday School, as well as a Wednesday morning bible study class. Along with her husband Bob, she was a member of a couples bridge club for 55 years. A member of the Mount Holly Book Club and an honorary member of the Mount Holly Rotary Club as well as a Paul Harris Fellow, she enjoyed being a member of the Mount Holly Historical Society and loved having coffee with "the girls" every Monday. Jo Ann and Bob enjoyed many events and plays at Belmont Abbey College and in the community over the years, monthly lunches with the Class of '49, lunches with cousins in Claremont and the Wike family reunion as well as numer-ous trips to New Mexico and Texas to visit Lisa, Dann and Michael and to New Orleans to visit Dan. She loved visiting with others and sharing stories.
Interment in Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery.
Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly, NC is serving the family.
Published in Gaston Gazette on Feb. 15, 2015
A graduate of Mount Holly High School in 1949 and Woman's College of the University of North Carolina in 1953, Jo Ann began a career in education teaching first grade in Charlotte at Parks-Hutchinson School for one year and at Tryon Hills Elementary School for 11 years. She taught kindergarten for several years at the First United Methodist Church Preschool in Mount Holly, before returning to public school as a first grade, second grade, and kindergarten teacher at Pinewood Elementary School in Mount Holly, where she taught for 20 years. After retiring in 1993, she received recognition for a career of service from the Gaston County NCAE and returned to teach at the FUMC Preschool where she had served earlier. A member of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization of Women Educators and the Classroom Teachers Association of North Carolina, she volunteered as a surrogate parent for the department of exceptional children of Gaston County Schools. Throughout her career, Mrs. Duke delighted in inspiring children to communicate and learn in creative ways. Baptized in 1941 at First Baptist Church in Mount Holly, Jo Ann's faith and life journey included many years as an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Holly where she married Dr. Robert L. Duke on June 23, 1957. In 1995, she joined the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and served as a lay reader, a member of Circle #5, and participated in adult and children's Sunday School, as well as a Wednesday morning bible study class. Along with her husband Bob, she was a member of a couples bridge club for 55 years. A member of the Mount Holly Book Club and an honorary member of the Mount Holly Rotary Club as well as a Paul Harris Fellow, she enjoyed being a member of the Mount Holly Historical Society and loved having coffee with "the girls" every Monday. Jo Ann and Bob enjoyed many events and plays at Belmont Abbey College and in the community over the years, monthly lunches with the Class of '49, lunches with cousins in Claremont and the Wike family reunion as well as numer-ous trips to New Mexico and Texas to visit Lisa, Dann and Michael and to New Orleans to visit Dan. She loved visiting with others and sharing stories.
Interment in Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery.
Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly, NC is serving the family.
Published in Gaston Gazette on Feb. 15, 2015
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