Jo Ann H. Gunn

Jo Ann was born July 21, 1940 in Freer, TX to Edna & Emil Hackbarth, just before her dad went to Germany during his tour of World War II. 8 years later Edna & Emil gave birth to Jo Ann’s sister Arlene. They both suffered the loss of their father only 2 years later after he contracted a rare skin disease from Auschwitz concentration camp.

Jo Ann and her sister often remembered how hard it was growing up as a German descendent after the war and both struggled in school being poor and unable to speak good English. They would often tell stories of living in Gruene, Tx when living in Gruene wasn’t cool.

When Jo Ann was a teenager, she would start the dance off every Saturday night at Gruene Hall. Her mother would often tell Jo Ann to take her little sister a long and while Jo Ann would catch the eye of a few young fly boys out of Randolph Air Force Base Arlene would nap under a table.

In 1956 Jo Ann married Danny Eugene Farrow, out of Randolph Air Force Base, and they quickly left home for England where they would continue their life there for a total of 6 yrs before returning home. Jo Ann would there work for the NCO as a waitress.

During Danny’s second tour of duty in England they were very eager to adopt a baby boy born January 29th, 1967 in Ipswich. Six months passed quickly and Ronald Eugene Farrow left England with his new parents for his new home in Texas. The family would finally make New Braunfels their home.

The small community of Barbarossa would become alive again when Jo Ann & Danny opened up a local beer joint called the Barbarossa Trough with the help of her sister and husband. Several years would pass as they became active in the small farming community.

In December 1984 Jo Ann & Arlene lost their mother to cancer. A short time later Jo Ann would be diagnosed with breast cancer.

In 1985 Jo Ann divorced Danny and her life would be changed forever after suffering the tragic loss of her son in a car crash the same year. An event that Jo Ann would never recover from.

After experiencing several losses & sadness Jo Ann would find her anchor and future husband when her sister introduced her to Larry Phil Gunn at a local dance hall in town. They dated as he nurtured her and they fell in love to be wed later that year in 1985.

They have been inseparable ever since as they would continue to love each other, trust each other and cherish each other as they grew old together.

They lived in New Braunfels most of their lives together but there were brief times spent in Salado, Tx, Harker Heights, Tx & San Angelo, Tx.

They sold the "Barbarossa Trough" business, and went into the "Texas Postal" mailing service in New Braunfels for twelve years. Afterwards Larry would become a truck driver for a couple of national companies and as Jo Ann as his “co-pilot” the two would travel across the United States.

The two eventually retired and during the next several years as Jo Ann’s health declined Larry never left her side.

She battled Bone Cancer & Leukemia and fought courageously till the end. Larry was her prince and she refused to leave him. He was by her side at Sundance Nursing Facility as she took her last breaths.

From her sister... I truly believe she gave her life to Christ April 19, 2015. She always believed in God, but never knew how to ask him into her life. My Sister & I prayed together and we both ask Jesus Christ to be her Lord & Savior. It was a cryful event for both of us, and I am so glad I was part of it.

My sister was very quiet, usually. But get her started on politics and family values, she would raise quite an opinion. To read was my sisters favorite pass time. Her favorite Hobby was to read the paper front to back. Because of that she became a current event intellectual. If you needed to know something about the news, you ask my sister. She has quite the library of books containing espionage, CIA, love, travel and crime type thrillers with a strong female lead.

She loved to tell stories of other countries and places she had traveled, including Alaska & England, lived and read about. Her and Larry loved feeding the birds with their birdhouses and watching them from the kitchen windows. Jo Ann always had a furry companion. She loved cats especially. We will miss her constant hospitality and good cooking. JoAnn loved entertaining family & friends. There was always room for one more at the table no matter when.

She always entered a room with elegant grace regardless of how bad her health had taken a toll on her life and she never left the house without her make-up and earrings on. JoAnn was our in house green thumb Goo Roo. She loved plants and gardening. When she was in good health she spent hours of daylight working in the yard tending to her flowers abound and she use to help her Mom raising a 1/2 acre garden and canning vegetables.

She is proceeded in death by her son, Ronald Eugene Farrow; her mother, Edna L. Hackbarth Zimmerman; her step father, Henry P. Zimmerman; her father, Emil O. Hackbarth.

She leaves her husband of 29 years Larry P. Gunn; her sister Arlene Cantu & brother in law Jose E Cantu Jr; her Goddaughter & niece Deborah Lynn Lehmann; her great niece, Amber Lynn Lehmann and great nephew, Andrew Eugene Lehmann.

In San Angelo,Tx she leaves a loving niece, Margo DeloSantos and a nephew and wife Tommy & Debbie Love. As well as an array of family & friends in different corners of the globe.

A visitation will be held for Jo Ann Gunn on Thursday, April 30, 2015 from 5:00pm-9:00pm at Zoeller Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be on Friday, May 1, 2015 at 10:00am at Zoeller Funeral Home with the interment to follow at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park.