Jo Ann Blakeley Ham

Visitation will be at 12:00 PM on Saturday, June 11th at Shannon Rose Hill Chapel with a funeral service following at 2:00 PM.

Jo Ann was born in Roanoke, Texas, to Henry and Flora Belle Blakeley on May 1, 1937. She graduated from Keller High School in 1955. She attended Texas Wesleyan College and completed X-Ray technician training at John Peter Smith Hospital in 1958. Jo Ann met her future husband, Ross Ham, while she was on a date with one of his friends. After many calls, she finally agreed to go on a date with him. She was struck by his adventurous spirit, sense of humor, and excellent roller-skating skills. They remained devoted to each other for 53 years until Ross’s death in 2013. Ross and Jo Ann were active members of Meadowbrook United Methodist Church and the Wesleyan class for many years.

Jo Ann and Ross were blessed with three children, Steve Ham, Liz Ham Dooley, and Allison Ham Birney. They were loving parents who attended every activity in which their children participated. By far, her favorite role in life was being a grandmother, in which she excelled. She was affectionately known as both Gran Gran and Mammy to her grandchildren. She and Ross delighted in babysitting and spoiling all their grandchildren. Jo Ann and Ross moved to Houston in 2007 to be closer to their beloved grandchildren.

She worked at St. Joseph Hospital for many years as a radiology transcriptionist and developed many close friendships with her co-workers. She retired from Plaza Medical Center in 2006.

Jo Ann is preceded in death by her husband, Ross, her parents, and her brothers Jay Blakeley and Finney Blakeley.

Jo Ann is survived by her children Steve Ham of Dallas, Liz Dooley and her husband Chris of Houston, and Allison Birney of League City; her sister Sharon Bauman of Henderson, TX; and her grandchildren Austin Dooley, Patrick Dooley, John Rhew Dooley, Ashlyn Birney, Giles Birney, and Anthony Spratt.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Meadowbrook-Poly United Methodist Church, 3900 Meadowbrook Dr, Ft. Worth, TX, 76103 or Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County.

Jo Ann’s family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Donna Sue Dolle, MD; Maria Herebia, her companion and caregiver; the doctors and nurses of Houston Methodist Hospital; and the members of the Wesleyan Class at Meadowbrook-Poly United Methodist Church.