Joanne Yoder

Joanne Margaret Thorson Yoder, age 43, of Tullahoma, TN, formerly of Bethel, died on May 14, 2010 after a valiant 3 1/2 year battle with kidney cancer. Jo lived her life with dignity, grace and poise. She is survived by Bill, her husband of 21 years; sons, Cooper and Spencer; parents John and Babette Thorson of Bethel; brother, John Thorson, Jr. (spouse, Melody) of Springfield, Va.; sister, Stephanie Reynolds (spouse, Ian) of Columbia, Md; one niece, Hannah Holden, and five nephews, Gavin, Trevor and Owen Reynolds, and Zachary and Jacob Yoder; numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins. She will be especially missed by her beloved YaYa's and other close friends. Jo graduated from Bethel High School, Bethel, in 1984; The University of the South, Sewanee, TN in 1988, and The University of Tennessee School of Law in 1997. She began her career working as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Sasser of Tennessee, in Washington, DC. Jo then moved to the development office of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. After law school she was in private practice in Tullahoma, TN. Jo also worked with the Middle Tennessee State University Foundation in Murfreesboro, TN before leaving to raise her family. Jo's primary passion was her family. She spent the last ten years raising her children and giving of herself to help others. She avidly read all kinds of literature, and loved to do needlework and handcrafts. Jo attended Camp Alleghany in Lewisburg, West VA, for nine years during her youth and then recently returned as a mini camp counselor for three years. Jo found great joy in the friendships she made at "Ghany" and the peace of the Alleghany mountains. She loved to travel and took numerous trips all over the world in the past three years. Jo was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Tullahoma where she loved volunteering her time with the children's program and United Methodist Women. She was active with the PTO board at Robert E. Lee Elementary, serving in various offices, as well as volunteering countless hours of her time at the school. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday (Today) May 18th at the First United Methodist Church of Tullahoma immediately followed by a memorial service at 12 p.m. Interment will be at 4 p.m. the same day at the Sewanee Cemetery, University of the South, Sewanee. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be given to the Action to Cure Kidney Cancer, the Building Fund of First United Methodist Church of Tullahoma, or to the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.tullahomafuneralhome.com.