JoAnn Hampton Bowman

Jo Ann Hampton Bowman passed away on January 19, 2026. Born in Clifton Forge, Virginia, she was the firstborn daughter of Mary (Warren) and Leonard Earl Hampton. She lived seven decades in Memphis, TN. Jo Ann received her undergraduate degree in Home Economics from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and later earned her Master’s degree at Memphis State University. In her early career, she was a teacher in Memphis City Schools. But she later shifted careers becoming a food buyer with Malone & Hyde, one of the largest grocery wholesalers in the South. It was at Malone & Hyde where she learned some of her best skills: battling computers, sampling new food lines, and braving the freezers dressed in artic attire to conduct regular inventory checks.

Jo Ann was an artist in the truest sense of the word. She didn’t just create art; she lived creatively. She saw beauty where others might overlook it, and she had a way of expressing herself that felt honest, brave, and uniquely her. Her creativity wasn’t limited to a canvas, it showed up in the way she lived, the risks she took, and the joy she found in the world around her.

Jo Ann savored life. She loved good food, not just for the taste, but for the experience. She loved shared meals, new flavors, long conversations, and laughter around the table. Food was another way she connected with people, another way she celebrated being together.

She was always willing to try something new, typically accompanied by her Mom, with whom she lived for many years. When it came to new places, new ideas, new adventures she welcomed them with curiosity and courage. Travel fed her soul. She loved the feeling of being somewhere unfamiliar, discovering new cultures, and collecting memories rather than things. And the beach - there was something about the ocean that spoke to her spirit. The sound of the waves, the open sky, the warmth of the sun, and the sense of freedom all felt like home to her.

But above all else, she loved her family, her two sisters and baby brother. That love was steady and real. She showed up, she cared deeply, and she made space in her heart for the people she loved. She was a daughter, sister, aunt, and a friend who mattered; someone whose full-of-fun presence made life richer and more colorful. Her life wasn’t about perfection, it was about experience, connection, and love.

Jo Ann is survived by her beloved sisters, Jerry Hampton Guy of Oakland, and Dr. Joyce Swan of Selmer, TN; and her brother, Dr. Leonard E. Hampton (Diane) of Memphis. She also leaves her nieces and nephew, her pride and joy - Pam Williams (Lance) of Murfreesboro, TN, Cindy Hudgens of Ruskin, FL, Halle Hampton Reynolds (Ricky) of Memphis and Will Hampton (Elizabeth) of Memphis, TN.

A private celebration of Jo Ann’s life will be held at Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland, TN. The family requests any memorials be sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.