Jo A. Anderson, 84 of Mexico, Missouri, died at 12:15 a.m. Sunday, June 16, 2024, at Pin Oaks Living Center in Mexico.

Memorial services will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday July 1, 2024, at Centennial Baptist Church in Mexico.  The family will receive friends beginning at 5:30 p.m.

There will also be a celebration of life at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday July 2, 2024, at Open Door Fellowship, 918 West 20th Street, Pittsburg, Kansas 66762.

Jo was born, August 24, 1939 in Lyons, Kansas, daughter to Thomas Alva and Ardis Maurine (Layton) Donnell. On November 27, 1958, in Chase, Kansas, she married Duane L. "Andy" Anderson who survives.

Jo attended school in Chase, Kansas from kindergarten to senior year where she graduated in 1957. She worked as a Para, Assistant Kindergarten Teacher, Substitute Teacher, Secretary in the Middle School and High School at Union Schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She also worked as a Para at R.V. Haderlein Elementary.  In 1977, she graduated from Pittsburg State University and then went on to earn her Master's Degree in Education in 1979. Jo taught for 26 years at R.V. Haderlein Elementary.  During the span of her career, she taught first, second, third and fifth grade until her retirement in 2000.

Jo served as a Pink Lady in Girard and Pittsburg, Kansas, she was a Mother Advisor for the Rainbow Girls in Girard, and served Aglow International as President of South Central Area Board of Kansas. She was a member for several years at Open Door Fellowship in Pittsburg, Kansas, she taught Bible Studies and she was a greeter. She was later a member of Genesis Church in Mexico where she also served as a greeter. Her love of Christ lead her to publish a poetry book called Pulling on God's Heart Strings.

In addition to her husband of 65 years Andy, survivors include two sons, Craig (Susie) Anderson, of Leawood, KS, and Jeffrey (Angie) Anderson, of Mexico; one daughter, Stacy (Jim) Kingsland, of Wichita, KS; one sister Carla (John) Hill, of Russell, KS; seven grandchildren, Jillian (Zach) Coombs, of Overland Park, KS, Mark Anderson, of Overland Park, KS, Jason (Shelby) Anderson, of Columbia, MO, Corey (Julie) Kingsland, of Olathe, KS, Jon (Melissa) Anderson, of Mt. Vernon, IA, Jake (Abby) Anderson, of Cedar Rapids, IA, Ashleigh (Keaton) Wiechman, of Bee Cave, TX; and ten great-grandchildren, Davi Heard, Deja Kingsland, Lucas Wiechman, Emmett Anderson, James Anderson, Elizabeth Kingsland, Ella Anderson, Lyla Wiechman, William Anderson, and Lucy Anderson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother Larry Garman, of Hoisington, KS; and one sister-in-law, Luella Garman.