SHEELEY, Jo Ann 1936-2015

SHEELEY, ORVIS

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 11/9/2015 at 19:00:57

GRUNDY CENTER, IOWA - Jo Ann Sheeley, 79, of Grundy Center, formerly of Des Moines, died Tuesday, July 21, 2015, at Grundy County Memorial Hospital, Grundy Center, of pneumonia.

She was born July 8, 1936, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Austin Linn and Fern Orvis Sheeley.

Jo was a 1954 graduate of Waterloo East High School and received a bachelor's degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI). After working several years as an assistant head of social welfare in Grundy County, she assumed the Director of Social Welfare Department position there in the late '60s. She received her master's degree in social welfare from the University of Missouri, and then moved to the director's position in Johnson County.

A position opened up in Black Hawk County in the early '70s and she returned to Waterloo. Her last move was to an administrative position in the Social Welfare Office at the Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines.

She is survived by three sisters: Karen Kloster and Susan Fuhrmann, both of Evansdale, and Jeanne (Jerome) Reeves of Wellsburg; a brother, Mike (Pat) Sheeley of Waterloo; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and infant brother and sister, William and Janet Sheeley.

Jo had a love of animals, especially miniature collies. Her passion outside of work was tracing her family roots, uncovering the family origins of both her mother and father's families. Her relatives, friends and neighbors are asked to remember the good times with Jo and celebrate a life well lived.

Memorial services: 11 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at First Presbyterian Church, Grundy Center. There will be no visitation, her body was cremated. A lunch will be served following the ceremony at the church.

Memorials: may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association East Central Iowa Chapter, 2616 Orchard Drive, Ste. B, Cedar Falls, IA 50613.

Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier