JoAnn Lawson Little

A celebration of life will be held Saturday November 19 at 1 pm at the First United Methodist Church, Winter Park.

JoAnn was born in Hahira, GA on February 11, 1936 to Agnes and Tally Lawson. While growing up in Hahira, JoAnn attended and graduated from Hahira High School in 1953. She went on to attend Shorter College for two years before transferring to Stetson University.

JoAnn graduated in 1957 from Stetson with a degree in Spanish and was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, where she was the senior class Secretary and Treasurer. After college she embarked on adventures that included driving from Florida in a VW bug across the country to explore Mexico, as well as an extended trip to Spain. Upon returning, she began her teaching career at Valdosta High School in Valdosta, GA as a Spanish teacher. In 1962 she relocated to Titusville, FL to begin teaching Spanish at Titusville High School, next door to the US center for space exploration, Cape Canaveral.

Early in 1965, friends arranged a blind date between JoAnn and Paul, an engineer working at Cape Canaveral, at an old Florida fish camp called Hub's Inn. The oysters must have been good because they married 6 months later! Shortly thereafter, they moved to Winter Park, FL.

In 1967 they started a family and were soon chasing around two energetic sons. As dedicated parents, JoAnn and Paul attended every school event, watched every soccer and baseball game, and went on every Boy Scout adventure. In JoAnn's free time she enjoyed reading mystery and thriller novels and working on her gardening skills. The family enjoyed numerous trips exploring the nation's national parks.

As the children grew up, Jo Ann worked part-time as a bank teller. She eventually returned to the classroom teaching high school Spanish at Oviedo High School. In 2001, JoAnn retired from teaching to begin the next chapter in her life -- exotic travels with Paul and perfecting her ability to grow award-winning daylilies. She kept meticulous notes on every variety she grew.

JoAnn is survived by sons Paul (wife Katherine, children Skittle and Casey) and Eric (wife Jennifer Gravlin) .

In lieu of flowers, donationtions can be made to the First United Methodist Church, Winter Park (fumcwp.org, donor should select OTHER MINISTRY, include JoAnn’s name in comment section) or Alzheimer's Association (alz.org)