Jo Anne (Belk) Wood

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Jo Anne Belk Wood departed this earthly realm for her eternal home with her Savior and loved ones gone before from The Meadows in Fulton on Saturday evening, October 8, 2022. She was 88. Born on September 26, 1934 and raised in the Palmetto Community of Lee County to the late John F. Hester and Farra Mae Ivy Holland, Jo Anne attended the Palmetto Grade Schools and graduated as Salutation from Verona High School in 1952, where she was also a basketball standout.  She attended the Oak Valley Christian Church from birth and for years where she was saved at an early age and played the piano.  In 1952, she married Kelly Gene Belk.  He died in 1961.  As a widow, she raised their 3 children until 1967 when she married Sammie Dwight Wood of Verona. Jo Anne was fond of and blessed to have Thomas McKinley “Tommy” Holland as her “dad” after his marriage to her Mother, Farra Mae in 1943.  She worked for over 23 years as catalogue receiving clerk for Sears and Roebuck before retiring.  She worked diligently to insure all toys ordered form the “Wish Book” could be delivered to Santa in time for Christmas.  After retirement, she enjoyed working in her flowerbeds and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She and Sammie were faithful members of Oak Ridge Christian Church for years until her health declined.  She was an avid Atlanta Braves fan. Jo Anne was devoted to her immediate and blended family, enjoyed encouraging them and serving her God and community. Her living was not in vain as she exemplified in life her favorite scripture in Matthew 5: 16 “So let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.”

A service celebrating her life will be held at 4 PM Wednesday, October 12, 2022 from the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors with her longtime pastor, Bro. Dale Carr officiating assisted by her current pastor, Bro. Archie Taflinger.  Her first cousin, Bro. Randy Leslie will deliver family reflections.  Private burial will be in Lee Memorial Park.  Visitation will be from 3 PM-service time on Wednesday only at the funeral home.  For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Livestreaming and will be permanently archived thereafter.

Jo Anne was blessed with three children:  Jeanie Belk Cobb (deceased ), Kelly Gene “Kenney” Belk, Jr. and Janice Belk Hoover and her husband, Brad all of Tupelo.  her husband of 55 years, Sammie D. Wood of Tupelo; a sister, Sandra Holland Sullivan of Shannon; 7 granddaughters, Traci Watson, Lora Mask, Amber Patterson (Scotty), MacKenzie Langley (Craig), Blake Hitchcock (Anthony),Taylor Belk and Paisley Belk.  11 great grandchildren and two great grandchildren, her nieces and nephews and countless cousins and other relatives.  Jo Anne reunited with loved ones gone before, her father, John F. Hester and her parents, Tommy and Farra Mae Holland; her daughter, Jeanie and her grandson, Kelley Gene Belk, III, her brother, John Thomas “Bud” Hester, her sister, Mildred “Mid” Holland Burt and all her Holland siblings, Evelyn Baldwyn, Mary Homan,  Julian, Leon, Hershel, Herbert and J.C. Holland.

Pallbearers will be Woody Watson, II, Clayton Mask, Craig Langley, Anthony Hitchcock, Mark Burt and Ronnie Hester.

The family suggests memorials be made to Oak Ridge Christian Church,  1325 Fletcher St., Tupelo, MS. 38804.  Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo is honored to be serving their beloved family.