Jo Ann R. Earnest

Jo Ann Rose Earnest passed away Friday, February 11, 2022. She was born in Houston, Texas November 14, 1940. After graduating from Mt. Carmel High School she entered the convent with the School Sisters of Notre Dame and graduated from Notre Dame with a BA degree in 1963. She dedicated herself to teaching and many of her fellow sisters had funny stories to tell of their adventures in the convent. As time went on she decided the convent was not her lifelong commitment and left to be in the private sector of teaching. Her decision took her to Houston Independent School District and began teaching at Travis Elementary School from 1972-1973. From 1973-1979 she worked in the HISD Curriculum Department, including serving as a Reading Specialist and Reading Assistance Director. From 1979-1988 Jo Ann was principal of Whittier Elementary School. She ran the school where manners and respect were of the utmost importance. The school was spotless – blinds were drawn evenly in every classroom across the entire front of the school for consistency and neatness. When anyone walked into a classroom the entire class stood and said in unison, “Good morning Ms. Earnest.” The school was in a challenging part of town, but she instilled in each of them that they could learn and be successful in life. From 1988-1992 she was one of the first group of experienced principals to be part of the Leadership Institute to establish standards for HISD principals. From 1992-1998 she was named Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Jo Ann retired from HISD in 1998. Jo Ann greatly valued the teaching profession and held high standards for herself and for the employees she supervised.

Jo Ann also obtained a Master of Education Degree from Texas Southern University. She took night classes as she taught during the day and graduated in 1973. She began work on her doctorate and almost completed it, but did not want to take off the nine months to finish her thesis.

Once retired Jo Ann dedicated herself to her mother, brother, who was in a nursing home for 36 years, and was on call for anyone else in the family or her group of friends. As anyone who knew her can testify, she loved sharing what she had with friends and family. It gave her joy and she did it unhesitatingly.

Jo Ann loved to travel both abroad and in the United States. After she left the convent she and a friend traveled throughout Europe. She returned to Europe a couple of times and took the trip of her lifetime to Israel with her travel buddies, Annie and Sister Colleen.

Jo Ann is predeceased by her father and mother, Sam Houston Earnest and Annie Earnest; her brother, Richard Earnest; nephew, Richard Scott; and niece, Peggy Wiggins.

She is survived by sister, Lu Cherry (John Cherry); brother, Nick Earnest; sister, Mary Causey (Jesse Causey); sister, Peggy Clements (Ted Clements); and numerous loving nieces and nephews.

Jo Ann will be greatly missed by all whose lives she has touched. We take comfort in knowing she is back with her best friends, Annie and Sister Colleen; and her loving brother and other family members.