Jo Ann Valdez

Jo Ann Angela (Giaconia) Valdez, age 71, passed away on August 21, 2022, after a hard-fought and long battle with cancer. Jo Ann’s strength, determination, and grace in handling her illness were an inspiration to her family, her friends, and her caregivers. Her loved ones are heartbroken by her passing but know that with her deep and abiding Christian faith, Jo Ann has been welcomed into heaven by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jo Ann is survived by her beloved husband, David, and by her precious children, her daughter Shannon (Jason) and her son Santino. She is also survived by her three sisters, Rose (David), Virginia (Paul), and Anna (Carlo); by her brother Sal (Judy); and by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Jo Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Virginia and Santo; by her brother Vincent (Dorothy); by her nephew Franklin; by her mother- and father-in-law, Irene and Eddie; and by her brother-in-law Eddie.

Jo Ann was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 20, 1951, to Virginia and Santo Giaconia. She was the first of six children in a family that included four girls and two boys. Jo Ann took her role as the eldest very seriously in guiding and nurturing her younger siblings. She continued to demonstrate her family leadership throughout her life; in recent years, she managed the healthcare and assisted-living needs of her mother.

Jo Ann graduated from East High School in 1969. Her class was one of the first to graduate from the newly constructed school. She often joked that with stockyards so close to the new school, the wind direction determined whether it was going to be a good or a bad day at school. Many of Jo Ann’s East High classmates remember her fondly.

Jo Ann earned a BA in social work, and she spent much of her career advocating for children and youth with developmental disabilities and in helping secure needed services and resources for them. Jo Ann devoted her life to being of service, and her desire to help others extended beyond her workplace to her family, her friends, and even strangers.

Jo Ann and David were together for more than 42 years. Jo Ann was immediately welcomed into David’s family and soon became a well-loved member of the Valdez family—as a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, and a godmother.

Jo Ann was dedicated to her family—her immediate family; her in-laws; and her beloved canine family, Dino and Ziva. Holidays and birthdays were often an extended-family affair with lots of good food, laughter, and love. And instead of buying material things, Jo Ann and her husband chose to travel, often accompanied by their children, nieces, and nephews.

Jo Ann was very outgoing and could talk to anybody about anything and had an ability to put strangers at ease. Jo Ann’s friendliness served her very well both personally and professionally. Along with her intelligence, savvy, and astounding organizational skills, Jo Ann’s outgoing nature helped her navigate the complicated healthcare and social work systems for her clients and her family. She knew how to get things done.

Jo Ann considered herself to be an optimistic pessimist, hoping for the best but being prepared for the worst. She really did believe that good things could happen, unexpectedly and against all odds. Her family recalls an incident during her childhood when a neighbor convinced Jo Ann and three of her siblings that a large rock in an abandoned lot was a huge gold nugget. The four kids struggled to drag the rock home, using palm branches and sheer willpower. Of course, the rock was not gold, but it remained in the front garden of her childhood home for decades as a reminder of childhood innocence and hope. That childhood spark of “it really could be gold” optimism continued throughout Jo Ann’s life.

Jo Ann was an expert crocheter and enjoyed making baby blankets, booties, and hats for the growing number of babies of her siblings, nieces, and nephews. She also liked the social aspect of cooking with her family, making Italian sausage from scratch with her Giaconia family and homemade tamales with her Valdez family. She enjoyed hiking and traveling to Northern Arizona and to California with her husband and her family. She loved Disneyland, the culture and the sights in San Diego, and spending time in Northern California with family who lived there and who knew where to go. Jo Ann loved the ocean and especially enjoyed driving along the Pacific Coast. Every day that she was able to, Jo Ann loved to walk her dogs, Ziva and Dino. After Ziva passed away, Dino showed his devotion to Jo Ann by never leaving her side, even when she was in hospice care.

Jo Ann’s siblings live from coast to coast, and in recent years, she stayed connected to her family by frequent Zoom meetings. Those meetings often started with serious topics, but they eventually turned into laughter-filled reminiscing and witty comments about current events and life in general. Her siblings will miss those Zooms with Jo Ann.

Jo Ann’s entire family and group of friends greatly miss her, but she will live on in their hearts and in the many stories and memories that they have.

In lieu of flowers, Jo Ann’s family is requesting a donation be made in her memory to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Food Bank, The Arc, or the American Cancer Society by selecting the links below.