Josephine Ott

Josephine (Bratton) Ott

Lewisberry - Josephine (Bratton) Ott, 82, of Lewisberry, died at 5:25 p.m. on Monday, July 23, 2018, at York Hospital. Jo was born March 4, 1936, in Mifflin, Juniata Co., the daughter of the late David P. Sr. and Evelyn (Clark) Bratton. Jo graduated with the great William Penn Senior High School class of 1954 at the time her family resided in Shiloh, York Co., PA. She later moved to northern Virginia where she resided for more than 60 years. Jo attended the University of Virginia and Marymount University in Arlington County and in 1982 was granted a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She retired in 1999 after sixteen years of service with the Fairfax County Department of Family Services and moved back to York County in 2001. During her tenure at the Department as a social work intern she developed a brochure on area thrift shops intended for use by the agency clients. Following graduation, she published the information in a booklet which received area-wide newspaper coverage. Both the first and second editions sold out.

Jo was a substitute teacher in Arlington County and Fairfax County public schools for a few years in the late 1980s and was hired by the Falls Church City Schools to conduct a door-to-door survey documenting the location and address of every building in the city.

Jo was an active volunteer for many years beginning with the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council in the early 1970s, an organization that evolved into a state-wide consumer movement with world-wide membership. The VCCC helped bring about some of the new and many changes in consumer laws, including the unit pricing now used by most supermarkets, and the development of state offices of consumer affairs throughout the U.S. Jo served on the VCCC's board of directors for several years and was offered the office of its presidency, which she declined in order to pursue her college degree. Jo is a member of the Mt. Olivet Methodist Church in Arlington, VA, the George Mason University Alumni Association and several central PA area historical societies. She was a genealogy researcher for more than forty years. She traveled across PA and other states visiting gravesites, ancestral homes and other venues in order to document and photograph her findings. Jo was an award-winning digital photographer who sought out the unique and the unusual, and the architecture of historical buildings and barns in the still uncluttered PA countryside.

Mrs. Ott is survived by a daughter, Carol, of Baltimore, two grandchildren, Melissa Graham, wife of Ryan, and Myles and one-great-grandchild, Bailey Evelyn Graham. Also surviving are three brothers, Roger C. of South Carolina, David P. Jr. and his wife, Shirley, of Virginia, Stephen L. of Texas, and one sister, Patricia Clipper of West Palm Beach. She also leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins and wonderful friends. She was predeceased by two infant children who are interred in Arlington National Cemetery. Her marriage to the late Joseph J. Ott ended in divorce. At Jo's request, she is being cremated and the memorial service will be private and held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Juniata County Historical Society, 498 Jefferson Street, Suite B, Mifflintown, PA 17059. Guss Funeral Home, Inc., 20 S. Third Street, Mifflintown is assisting with the arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.gussfh.com.