Joanne Kay (Snyder) Austad
May 25, 1935 – Apr 25, 2017
Age 81, formerly of Newton, Iowa; passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held on Friday, June 16th at 11:00 a.m. at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Newton, Iowa. Burial will take place at Newton Union Cemetery.
Joanne “Jo” was born on May 25, 1935 in Afton, Iowa to Harry and Maude (Reynolds) Snyder. She was a 1953 graduate of Newton High School and a 1956 graduate of Broadlawns Polk County Hospital School of Nursing in Des Moines. Jo was united in marriage to James “Jim” Austad on June 29, 1957 at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Newton, where they attended until they relocated to Cleveland, Tennessee in 1987.
Jo worked as a Registered Nurse for many years in Newton, spending most of her career caring for patients with Drs. Frank and Dorothy Forsythe at Jasper County Medical Center where she undoubtedly gave thousands of allergy shots. Becoming an RN was the fulfillment of her lifelong dream and was one of her proudest accomplishments, second only to her family.
In addition to a devotion to her family, Jo was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan. She especially enjoyed Iowa football where she and Jim were season ticket holders for 40 years. They traveled to numerous bowl games and to all of the Big Ten football stadiums. One of her daughter’s favorite memories is of Jo getting on stage at a Peach Bowl event leading the crowd in singing “The Iowa Fight Song.” Jo was very active in the Jasper County Republican Central Committee and was a delegate to the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Jo traveled extensively with family and friends to Alaska, China, and many parts of Europe. Jo was a member of P.E.O. chapter HS in Newton and continued her affiliation in Cleveland where she was a charter member of chapter AL and enjoyed attending events with daughter Jackie’s chapter HX in Omaha.
Jo moved back to Newton in 2003 and lived there until 2012 when, facing health concerns, she moved to Omaha where she enjoyed being closer to family, especially her grandchildren. She lived in a senior apartment and played cards with her friends nearly every afternoon. Her competitive spirit never faded. Jo had a vivacious personality, was quick to laugh, a great listener, loved having fun and working daily crossword puzzles.
Jo was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Jim on April 21, 1999; her brother Jack; sister Margie Griffin; and niece Deborah (Snyder) Reed.
Those left to honor Jo’s memory include daughters, Jackie Nelson (Dennis) of Omaha and Jolie Patterson (Brian) of Fishers, Indiana; son, Jim Austad (Seressa) of Omaha; grandchildren: Joshua and Anna Nelson of Omaha, Jamie and Zachary Patterson of Fishers, Indiana, Callie and James Austad of Omaha; twin brother, Jim Snyder of Naples, Florida; her nieces and nephews and many good friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Congregational United Church of Christ in Newton, IA.
2 Comments
Jim and Seressa, our sympathy to your family.I am glad Jo and I were in the same P.E.O. chaper. She was a special person.
I am very sorry to hear of your mother’s passing. I was seaching for your mother’s contact information since I too just lost my mother Mickey Sallman on June 25, 2017. She and my father Donald Sallman were friends of your parents. I last spoke to your mother after my father died in 2009. I will keep you in my prayers as I know how difficult loosing our parents is. Connie Curtin..
Sign Guestbook