Helen Joan Barnes "Joann" Espey

Helen Joan "Joann" Barnes Espey, beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and great-grandmother, left this earth on March 23, 2025, following a decade long fight against COPD.

Joann was born on June 22, 1939 to Byron A. (Barney) and Eva Leonard Barnes in Austin, Texas. Barney was a landman in the oil business and the young family (which included Joann's older brother Jimmy, born in 1937) moved often following Barney's work. They settled in the South Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas when Joann was in elementary school.

Joann spent summers with her beloved maternal grandparents, Edward and Lillie Mae Leonard, who owned a drug store in Rolla, Missouri. Joann loved these summers, which often included time with her cherished first cousins. In later life, she would speak often of the wonderful people her grandparents were and the influence they had on her life. Their values of faith, hard work and decency became the foundation of Joann's life as well.

Joann and her brother Jimmy were close growing up. She loved being outside and was a self-proclaimed tomboy and a great athlete. She was a bright student and always did well in school. Their family attended First Baptist Church of Dallas under W.A. Criswell. Joann's mother, Eva, was an old school, Bible thumping Baptist and Joann's faith, generally, and her identification as a Baptist, specifically, were bedrocks of her life.

At South Oak Cliff High School Jimmy became best friends with Bill Espey who lived nearby. Joann and Bill started dating in high school and quickly fell in love and planned their future together. Upon high school graduation with Bill at UT Austin pursuing an engineering degree, Joann attended one year at Lindenwood College, an all-girls school in Saint Charles, Missouri, before leaving to follow Bill to Austin and marry on July 8, 1960, at First Baptist Church of Dallas. Joann worked as a secretary while Bill completed his PhD in engineering. In another time, Joann's intelligence, wit and drive would have landed her a job as a CEO. However, she preferred motherhood. In 1962 their first child Richard (Rick) was born, followed by Patricia in 1965 and Carey in 1968.

Despite the responsibilities of raising three active children, often with Bill traveling for work, Joann was instrumental in Bill's career. From the early days of assisting with water flow field measurements and adding her exacting administrative skills to Bill's early businesses to the later years where she charmed business associates with her hospitality, quick wit and sense of humor. Whether professionally or personally, Joann was always Bill's most trusted advisor.

Members of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin for more than 60 years, Joann and Bill could be found in their cherished adult Sunday School class led by their dear friends, Sonny and Billie Everett, or in "their" pew in the sanctuary listening to sermons delivered by their friend and pastor, Ralph Smith, and later Kie Bowman. Joann held virtually every volunteer position at Hyde Park over the years from nursery worker to Vacation Bible School teacher. Her faithful participation in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for decades, encouraged Bill and her daughter in law to become long-time members as well. She was known to hide her answers to the BSF questions so that Bill couldn't copy them. Joann's faith was an active part of her daily life and sustained her through life's challenges. She was a faithful and faith-filled prayer warrior, praying daily for family members, friends and those in need.

Joann took motherhood seriously. When her son, Rick, struggled in elementary school and short-sighted teachers and administrators limited his future, Joann refused to believe them. She took him out of that school and worked with him daily to improve his learning skills. Whether her kids faced academic challenges, health issues or the normal ups and downs of growing up, Joann actively engaged, and problem solved to chart a new and better path for them. When Patricia and Carey aged out of the girls' softball league in Austin, Bill and Joann underwrote a new senior league so their daughters could continue to play, and Joann was an all-star coach. All this while driving her kids all over Austin for sports and activities and cooking full meals every day of the week. As her children married, she welcomed their spouses into the family making them feel loved and connected. Although she traveled extensively, she was always happiest in her house, surrounded by her family, serving great meals, including her specialties, He Man salad, homemade ice cream and her exceptional chocolate chip cookies. She claimed not to have a special recipe for the cookies, but despite decades of trying nobody else has been able to duplicate her results.

As much as she loved being a wife and mother, Joann would say unequivocally that her best role in life was as grandmother, or MeJo (a nickname coined by her grandson David and then improved upon by grandsons, Chris, Nick and Patrick) to her eight grandchildren. Joann's exploits as a grandmother included playing on the floor with her grandchildren for endless hours, snow skiing, white water rafting, horseback riding, hiking in New Mexico, subjecting herself to facials and makeup tutorials, bungee jumping, finding new and fun activities in and around Austin and attending literally hundreds of their sporting events, dance recitals and competitions and cheerleading events. Despite an 11-year age gap from oldest grandchild to youngest, Joann kept pace. This was particularly evident on a family cruise to the Mediterranean when she was poolside at the kids' pool by day with her youngest grandchildren (Abby and Ashley) and in the casino at night teaching her oldest, David, her tricks on the slot machine. Despite her rapidly declining health over the last two years, her spirits always lifted when her first great grandchild, Malcolm, visited. Joann met her 6-week-old great-granddaughter, Eva Joyce, just 2 days before she passed away. Even though she couldn't see her, it was evident that Eva's smell and touch and the fact that she was named in her honor gave her joy.

Joann discovered gambling late in life, but she and Bill loved traveling to Las Vegas with their best friends Tommy and Betty Hardin and in-laws Pat and Dudley Poston. She was known to stay up all night looking for "hot" slot machine. Bill never enjoyed gambling as much as he did watching Joann's enjoyment.

Joann ran the race for sure. Her life was characterized by faith, perseverance, endurance, and a focus on God's purpose, rather than worldly achievements, to reach the spiritual finish line.

Joann is survived by son Rick Espey (Nancy) of San Antonio, daughter Patricia Loyd (Brian) of Georgetown, daughter Carey Twombly, (James) of Cedar Park, grandchildren David Espey (Taylor D'Andrea) of Santa Monica, CA, Kara Espey Osburn (Levi) of Austin, Chris Twombly (Ashley) of Lubbock, Nick Twombly of San Antonio, Daniel Espey of Waring, TX, Patrick Twombly of Dallas, and Ashley and Abby Rivas of Lubbock, great-grandchildren Malcolm and Eva Osburn of Austin, sister in law, Sandy Espey of Houston, first cousins Barbara Smith, David Barclay and Beth Burton of Austin and Sharon Schilling of Sugarland and adored nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Joann's life will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Hyde Park Baptist Church, 3901 Speedway, Austin, Pastor Danny Bevins officiating. A visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by the service at 11:00 a.m. A private family burial will follow.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hyde Park Baptist Church, Joann and Bill's church home for more than 60 years.

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Titus 2:7