Jo Ann Hayes

Jo Ann Hayes, 64, died Sunday, March 20, 2016, of complications related to the treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). She died in the presence of her immediate family. Formerly a resident of Frisco, TX, Jo Ann and her husband, John, have resided in the State of Kuwait since 2010.

Eleven months ago, Jo Ann was diagnosed with MDS, a rare blood disease that can turn into a fast-growing cancer of bone marrow cells called acute myeloid leukemia. After a bone marrow transplant in October 2015 in Dallas, Jo Ann was “cancer free,” but the disease returned by March. She received additional aggressive chemotherapy in early March at Medical City Dallas and was again declared “cancer free,” but she suddenly contracted a rare blood infection and died nine days later.

Born in Uhrichsville, OH, on March 27, 1951, Jo Ann was a 1969 graduate of Claymont High School, and a 1970 graduate of Columbus Business University. She married John Phillip Hayes of Dover, OH in September 1970.

Jo Ann was a founding member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Francis Catholic Community in Frisco, where she also volunteered as a pianist for the church choir. In Kuwait, she served as music coordinator for the Open Gate Catholic Community, volunteered with numerous organizations, and taught piano lessons. Her husband teaches at a private university in Kuwait.

She enjoyed traveling and after moving to Kuwait she and her husband visited numerous countries of the Middle East including Israel, Jordan, Oman, the UAE, and Egypt. They also visited Sri Lanka and India. The highlight of their travels was a private mass in the tomb of Jesus in 2014 to honor their daughter, Elizabeth Hayes Luna, who died suddenly of the Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Hayes is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Holly and Keith Lapp, and their four children, Gabriella, Ethan, Carleigh and Brody, all of McKinney, TX; a son, John, Jr. of Dallas, TX; and son-in-law, David Luna of Frisco, TX. Daughter, Elizabeth, died in April 2014. Jo Ann is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Mary Ann Pickenstein of Springboro, OH, and her sister and brother-in-law, Leslie and Richard McNeely of Beavercreek, OH.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at 8000 Eldorado Parkway in Frisco, TX 75033 at 11 a.m. on Monday March 28, 2016. A reception will follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in care of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, or online at www.svdpfrisco.org.