JoAnne Michener - Obituary

oAnne A. “Jo” Michener, 82, a 43-year resident of Bowie, died May 9 at the Anne Arundel Medical Center. Born on August 20, 1931 in Lincoln, NE to the late Vere and Wilma Keller, Jo graduated from North Platte High School and Chadron State University for Nursing in Nebraska. In 1951, she went to work as a telephone operator until her marriage to Russell Michener in August 1953. As a Navy wife, Jo first accompanied her husband to Washington, DC where she went to work as an operator for the C&P Telephone Company. Throughout her husband’s Navy career, Jo and her family relocated several times to stations in Guam, Hawaii, Turkey, Florida, Virginia and again in Washington, DC. When she returned to Washington, Jo went to work at Sears as a sales associate from 1967 to 1974. Jo enjoyed gardening, bowling, traveling, reading and volunteering. She was a past President of the Navy Wives’ Club in Guam Marianas Island, a member of the Marmara Navy Wives in Karamürsel, Turkey and Treasurer of the South Bowie Women’s Club. She had also been the Records and Recognition Chairman of the American Red Cross Advisory Board Council for Andrews Air Force Base. In recognition of her volunteer efforts, Jo received the American Red Cross Clara Barton Honor Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership. Jo was preceded in death by her brother, Rodney V. Keller, who was killed during the Korean War. In addition to her husband, Russell, she is survived by three daughters, Sandra Totten of Gambrills, Debra (Mark) Perkins of Annapolis and Sherry (Jim) Duley of Gambrills; three grandchildren, Christopher, Allison and Melissa Perkins of Annapolis; and her soon-to-be-welcomed first great-grandchild who is due in August. Friends are invited to Jo’s Life Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 40020018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018. *Please sign the family's online guestbook by visiting the link on this page.