Joanne Dobson
d. December 12, 2019
Joanne Dobson
Jo Dobson, 87, of Little Rock, passed away peacefully on December 12, 2019.
Jo Fincher was born in Amity, Arkansas, to Fayette and Alsia Hunter Fincher on March 12, 1932. Jo was the middle child of Fayette and Alsia's seven children. When she was born, her older sisters were Martha, Joyce, and Melba. Jo was later joined by her younger siblings, Johnny, Charlie, and Trudy. Jo often said that she raised Trudy, and Trudy doesn't argue with that, in fact she embraces it.
She grew up in Amity. In high school, she played basketball and was a cheerleader. Jo graduated from Amity High School in1950. She worked the next year for Barksdale Lumber Company as a bookkeeper, saving money for college. She entered what was then Henderson State Teachers College in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1951. She worked in the Business Office and was able to pay her own way through college. Jo graduated in the top 10 percent of her class in just three years. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education in August 1954. Jo later attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and obtained a Master in Education.
She married Jack Thomas Dobson on August 16, 1953 and remained married until his death on April 3, 1992.
Son Allen was born on July 30, 1956 and daughter Dawn was born on September 19, 1958.
She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, most recently a 23 year member of First United Methodist Church in Little Rock, where she was a member of the Koinonia Sunday School Class and sang in the Ensemble Choir. At FUMC in Fordyce, she sang in the Chancel Choir, played in the Hand Bell Choir, served as Chairman of the Board of Stewards, and served on many committees.
Jo was a woman of many accomplishments. She began her accomplishments early, as a teenager working as a waitress at her mother's café, Fincher's Café, in Amity.
She began teaching in Dermott in 1954, teaching business and journalism. When husband Jack, himself an educator, became Principal and Head Football Coach in Lonoke, she took care of Allen and gave birth to Dawn. In 1960, when Jack entered medical school at what was then the University of Arkansas Medical Center, Jo became the sole bread-winner and taught high school business and journalism at Mabelvale High School, generating friendships that lasted her entire life. In addition to teaching and raising Allen and Dawn, Jo also served one year as President of Med Dames, a medical school auxiliary society.
After Jack graduated medical school, the family spent a year in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where Jack completed his residency. The year in Los Alamos led to a lifetime love of the Land of Enchantment. Jo returned whenever she could to visit friends, buy Indian pottery, eat Mexican food, and to paint.
Jo and Jack decided to return to Arkansas to be closer to Jo's family and for Jack to establish his medical practice. They chose Fordyce and Jo lived there until 1996. Jo proudly worked in the home, raising Allen and Dawn while Jack practiced medicine. She was civically engaged, serving as President of the Culture Club and as a dedicated and long serving member of the "Fordyce on the Cottonbelt" Festival Committee.
Jo began painting while in Fordyce, first with oil, and later, finding oil not sufficiently challenging, switching to water color. She evolved into a gifted artist and her paintings grace the homes of family and friends throughout Arkansas, and, as far away as New Mexico. She especially enjoyed painting with her sister, Joyce, in places such as San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and the village of Port Clyde, Maine.
Jo was especially proud of her daughter Dawn, who in 1992, left Fordyce and moved to Little Rock, began working at Easter Seals, where she continues to work 27 years later, and has lived independently since 1993.
After Jack's death, Jo returned to Little Rock in 1996, to be closer to family, especially her granddaughter Maggie. Grandson Cole Dobson was born in 1999 and Jo was a thoroughly committed and proud grandmother to Maggie and Cole their entire lives, attending countless school, sporting, and social events for them, and generally spoiling them rotten. She continued to be active in the community, singing with the "Happiness Singers", serving on the Oasis Board, and attending LifeQuest classes. She loved being close to sister Trudy and niece, Amy Walker.
In 2013, Allen married Julianne St. Clair and Jo acquired a beautiful loving daughter-in law, whom Jo loved very much, and an equally loving and welcoming St. Clair family, especially Patricia Hillis and Carol Mason.
She was well-loved and will be missed by everyone who loved her.
She is survived by her children, Allen Dobson (Julianne) and Dawn Dobson, both of Little Rock; grandchildren, Maggie Byrd (Nathan) of Little Rock and Cole Dobson of Fayetteville; siblings, Martha Adams of Amity, Charlie Fincher (Jacque) of Oklahoma City, Trudy Walker (Loyd) of Little Rock, sister-in-law, Hildred Fincher of Little Rock, and a multitude of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jack Thomas Dobson, daughters, Melanie Jo and Mary Lynn Dobson, sisters, Joyce Wilson and Melba Gunta and brother, Johnny Fincher.
Visitation will be Tuesday, December 17 from 6-8 p.m. at Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.). Services will be Wednesday, December 18 at 10:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, followed by interment at Jones Cemetery in Amity. Memorials may be made to the church.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. Mrs. Dobson's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.
8801 Knoedl Ct
Little Rock, AR, 72205
723 Center Street
Little Rock, AR, 72201
Jo Fincher was born in Amity, Arkansas, to Fayette and Alsia Hunter Fincher on March 12, 1932. Jo was the middle child of Fayette and Alsia's seven children. When she was born, her older sisters were Martha, Joyce, and Melba. Jo was later joined by her younger siblings, Johnny, Charlie, and Trudy. Jo often said that she raised Trudy, and Trudy doesn't argue with that, in fact she embraces it.
She grew up in Amity. In high school, she played basketball and was a cheerleader. Jo graduated from Amity High School in1950. She worked the next year for Barksdale Lumber Company as a bookkeeper, saving money for college. She entered what was then Henderson State Teachers College in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1951. She worked in the Business Office and was able to pay her own way through college. Jo graduated in the top 10 percent of her class in just three years. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education in August 1954. Jo later attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and obtained a Master in Education.
She married Jack Thomas Dobson on August 16, 1953 and remained married until his death on April 3, 1992.
Son Allen was born on July 30, 1956 and daughter Dawn was born on September 19, 1958.
She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, most recently a 23 year member of First United Methodist Church in Little Rock, where she was a member of the Koinonia Sunday School Class and sang in the Ensemble Choir. At FUMC in Fordyce, she sang in the Chancel Choir, played in the Hand Bell Choir, served as Chairman of the Board of Stewards, and served on many committees.
Jo was a woman of many accomplishments. She began her accomplishments early, as a teenager working as a waitress at her mother's café, Fincher's Café, in Amity.
She began teaching in Dermott in 1954, teaching business and journalism. When husband Jack, himself an educator, became Principal and Head Football Coach in Lonoke, she took care of Allen and gave birth to Dawn. In 1960, when Jack entered medical school at what was then the University of Arkansas Medical Center, Jo became the sole bread-winner and taught high school business and journalism at Mabelvale High School, generating friendships that lasted her entire life. In addition to teaching and raising Allen and Dawn, Jo also served one year as President of Med Dames, a medical school auxiliary society.
After Jack graduated medical school, the family spent a year in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where Jack completed his residency. The year in Los Alamos led to a lifetime love of the Land of Enchantment. Jo returned whenever she could to visit friends, buy Indian pottery, eat Mexican food, and to paint.
Jo and Jack decided to return to Arkansas to be closer to Jo's family and for Jack to establish his medical practice. They chose Fordyce and Jo lived there until 1996. Jo proudly worked in the home, raising Allen and Dawn while Jack practiced medicine. She was civically engaged, serving as President of the Culture Club and as a dedicated and long serving member of the "Fordyce on the Cottonbelt" Festival Committee.
Jo began painting while in Fordyce, first with oil, and later, finding oil not sufficiently challenging, switching to water color. She evolved into a gifted artist and her paintings grace the homes of family and friends throughout Arkansas, and, as far away as New Mexico. She especially enjoyed painting with her sister, Joyce, in places such as San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and the village of Port Clyde, Maine.
Jo was especially proud of her daughter Dawn, who in 1992, left Fordyce and moved to Little Rock, began working at Easter Seals, where she continues to work 27 years later, and has lived independently since 1993.
After Jack's death, Jo returned to Little Rock in 1996, to be closer to family, especially her granddaughter Maggie. Grandson Cole Dobson was born in 1999 and Jo was a thoroughly committed and proud grandmother to Maggie and Cole their entire lives, attending countless school, sporting, and social events for them, and generally spoiling them rotten. She continued to be active in the community, singing with the "Happiness Singers", serving on the Oasis Board, and attending LifeQuest classes. She loved being close to sister Trudy and niece, Amy Walker.
In 2013, Allen married Julianne St. Clair and Jo acquired a beautiful loving daughter-in law, whom Jo loved very much, and an equally loving and welcoming St. Clair family, especially Patricia Hillis and Carol Mason.
She was well-loved and will be missed by everyone who loved her.
She is survived by her children, Allen Dobson (Julianne) and Dawn Dobson, both of Little Rock; grandchildren, Maggie Byrd (Nathan) of Little Rock and Cole Dobson of Fayetteville; siblings, Martha Adams of Amity, Charlie Fincher (Jacque) of Oklahoma City, Trudy Walker (Loyd) of Little Rock, sister-in-law, Hildred Fincher of Little Rock, and a multitude of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jack Thomas Dobson, daughters, Melanie Jo and Mary Lynn Dobson, sisters, Joyce Wilson and Melba Gunta and brother, Johnny Fincher.
Visitation will be Tuesday, December 17 from 6-8 p.m. at Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.). Services will be Wednesday, December 18 at 10:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, followed by interment at Jones Cemetery in Amity. Memorials may be made to the church.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. Mrs. Dobson's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.
Visitation
DEC 17. 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (CST)
Little Rock Funeral Home8801 Knoedl Ct
Little Rock, AR, 72205
Funeral Service
DEC 18. 10:00 AM (CST)
First United Methodist Church723 Center Street
Little Rock, AR, 72201
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