I am Jo Ann Jones, daughter of Waco Crane and Pearl Patterson. I had four brothers Vernon, Halburt, Richard and Leon; and four sisters Mattie, Zelma, Virginia and Martha. I was born at Tosch Farms in Mesquite, Texas on May 15, 1929. My father worked for Mr. Tosch and we lived in a house at the Tosch’s farm down by the creek. All my brothers and sisters graduated from Mesquite High School. When I was 16 years old my parents moved to 702 Parkview Ave, Dallas, Texas where I attended school at Woodrow Wilson until 1946. My parents moved back to Mesquite to my grandmother’s house on Bodine Street and I graduated from Mesquite High School in 1947. I played basketball and softball in high school. My first job was as a clerk at corner drugstore in downtown Dallas; and then I went to work for the First National Bank in Dallas (I also played on the bank’s baseball team). I married Edward Simmons in 1950 at my sisters Mattie and Zelma’s house in Dallas, Texas. Edward and I had 3 children Debbie, Eddie and Sandy; we lived at 1017 South Galloway Road. Our house was a 2 bedroom, one bathroom home on a ¾ acre lot. My father tilled and planted a beautiful large garden for us. Our garden was so bountiful that the local newspaper and the Dallas Morning News came to take pictures of it and wrote about my father’s gardening skills. Soon Edward became sick and passed away in June of 1960. I took a job at the Mesquite Police Department for a few months and then at the Mesquite ISD where I worked for 29 years. My friend Glenda Jones from Mesquite ISD introduced me to Robert Jones on March 31, 1965. We dated and it was love at first sight. Robert and I married on November 26, 1965, and now I was the mother of 3 children and 3 stepchildren Donald, Lisa and Suzanne. My family was complete. We built our new 3 bedroom/2 bathroom home on top of our garden. Our family attended the First Baptist Church. This is the church that my grandparents contributed financially and helped build.

We have been blessed with seven grandchildren Kimberly Hodges, Kristy Foster, David Ford, Amber Watson, Cody King, Joshua Jones and Crystal; and nine great grandchildren Zachary, Max and Hazel Watson, Colby Ford, Joshua and Jonathan Thomas, Raney Hodges, Kolie Foster and Ashton Jones.

Bob and I have traveled to every state in America except for Minnesota, Rhode Island, Indiana and North Dakota. We have traveled to Nova Scotia, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, as well as the Caribbean Islands. We have also taken 2 cruises, but our most fond memories are of our Airstream traveling adventures.