Jo Etta Woodall, of Sherman, Texas, went home to be with the Lord on August 5, 2022.
Jo was born in Elkton, Kentucky, on December 28, 1945. Jo was raised by her grandparents, Virgil and Geneva Wells, and maintained a close relationship with her beloved Kentucky family throughout her life. There, Jo met James Fred (“Jim”) Foster, and they were married in 1966 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Jo and Jim moved to Dallas, Texas, in April of 1968. There, Jo and Jim had Jo’s only child, Pennie Foster Benson.
Later, Jo married Kenneth Wayne (“Ken”) Woodall and they moved to Sherman, Texas, in September of 1977, where Ken enjoyed a long career with Texas Instruments and Jo worked in a number of jobs, none more important to her than being wife to Ken and mother to Pennie. Jo and Ken enjoyed a wonderful marriage of 39 years until the Lord called Ken home on June 9, 2016.
Jo’s life was filled with many loves, among the most important being her church family at First Baptist Church of Sherman, where she worshipped and served for more than 40 years. Jo lived a life of service and felt her most important heavenly gift was the gift of ministry to others. Jo and Ken enjoyed many wonderful years of serving together in the Church’s Ministry of Encouragement. Jo never met a stranger, and likewise, never met a person with whom she was uncomfortable sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jo witnessed to everyone she met and exemplified the love of Christ wherever she went. While saddened by her passing, her family rejoices knowing that she has been renewed in mind and body and now sits at the throne of Jesus.
Jo is survived by her daughter, Pennie Foster Benson and son-in-law, Brock Benson of Sherman, her three grandchildren, whom she adored, Dalton Christian Jones, Sydney Laine Benson, and Bailey Reese Benson, all of Sherman, and numerous family and friends. Jo was preceded in death by her parents, her grandparents Virgil and Geneva Wells, her husband Kenneth Wayne Woodall, and her brother Terry Hampton. Services are under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman. The family will welcome friends and family on Thursday, August 11, 2022, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Waldo Funeral Home, and will celebrate Jo’s life on Friday, August 12, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Sherman. The service will honor Jo’s memory and her love of music by featuring some of her favorite songs, sung by some of her favorite people.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jo’s honor to the First Baptist Church of Sherman ministry, Ministry of Encouragement, a ministry she served for more than 20 years.
The registry book can be signed online at waldofuneralhome.com.
