Jo Ann Petersen Holliday

Jo Ann Farr Petersen Holliday, 85, passed away on Thursday, February 2, 2023, in The Woodlands, Texas. Jo Ann was born on December 5, 1937 to Marvin and Ann Jaehne Farr in Austin, Texas. Following graduation from Sinton High School, Jo Ann attended Concordia Lutheran in Austin obtaining an Associate Degree in Education in 1957. She then moved to Port Arthur, Texas to teach in the Lutheran parochial school. Jo Ann soon met and then married her first husband, Paul Petersen, on June 19, 1959. Paul and Jo Ann enjoyed 39 years of marriage until his death in 1998. Jo Ann later married Robert Doyle Holliday and moved to St. Louis, Missouri eventually retiring in Georgetown, Texas. Jo Ann and Doyle relocated to Spring, Texas in 2019 to be near her children. Jo Ann and Doyle enjoyed 21 years of marriage until his death in 2020.

A lifelong member of the Lutheran church, Jo Ann attended faithfully until the end of her life. She was a devoted mother, faithful friend, avid reader, lover of board games and card games and enjoyed word and jigsaw puzzles. Even as her health declined, Jo Ann never allowed a birthday, anniversary or holiday to go by without sending out a card to mark the occasion.

Jo Ann is survived by her daughter, Debbie Petersen Cook and husband, Jim, of Manvel, Texas; daughter, Donna Petersen Bruney of The Woodlands, Texas; and her son, James “Jimmy” Petersen and wife, Sheri, of Atascocita, Texas. Also surviving their Nana are her grandchildren; Alec Bruney of Port Neches, Texas; Andrew Bruney and his fiancée, Lauren Arnold, of Austin, Texas; Adam Petersen of Denver, Colorado and Bethany Petersen of Atascocita, Texas. She is also survived by her brother, Marvin Dennis Farr of Dallas, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank our cousin, Marilyn Petersen, for the care, attention and companionship she shared with Jo Ann over the last few years. A special thank you to the staff at Paradise Springs as well as the caregivers of You’re First for assisting with her needs while she resided there.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at Grammier-Oberle Funeral Home at 4841 39th St., Port Arthur, Texas 77642, beginning with visitation at 9:30 a.m., chapel service at 10:30 a.m. and interment immediately following at Greenlawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Concordia University Texas 11400 Concordia University Drive, Austin, Texas 78726 and you can reference the remembrance.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grammier-oberle.com for the Holliday family.