Jo Whitten May

1935 - 2025

(Betty) Jo Whitten May

October 20, 1935 - April 23, 2025

(Betty) Jo Whiten May, wife, college professor, speech/language pathologist, & child development specialist, died on April 23, 2025. She was born October 23, 1935 in Hattiesburg MS & was the daughter of Ethel Duckworth Whitten & Elton Barber Whitten. She grew up in the Washington, DC area, where her father was the first full-time director of the National Rehabilitation Association. During those years, Jo, her mother, and father were instrumental in selecting the wheelchair logo, now an international symbol representing disabled people. Jo graduated from Washington & Lee High School in Arlington, VA.

Jo attended William & Mary, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She was one of the few women admitted to the University of VA in 1955, where she earned her B.A. in Speech Pathology in 1957. She later received her Master's Degree in Speech Pathology in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Child Development from UNC-Greensboro in 1977. She was certified in seven teaching areas by the NC Dept. of Public Instruction & belonged to numerous professional associations & honor societies.

During her professional life, Jo was employed at the University of Virginia Speech & Hearing Center; the Child Guidance Center and Children's Center for the Physically Disabled; the Winston-Salem Department of Mental Health; the VA Hospital in Salisbury, North Carolina; and Wake Forest University Medical Center. For the last 25 years of her professional life, she served as an adjunct faculty member at Wake Forest University & a full-time professor at W-S State, where she was honored as Professor Emerita by the Department of Education. While at W-S State, she served as Coordinator of Special Education, Director of Student Teaching, & Interim Chair of the Dept. of Education. Jo made professional presentations at over 100 workshops, conventions, programs, & local, state, & national meetings. She was also published in professional journals on topics including honor & ethics, visual & auditory perception, effective schools research, & racial differences in infants & young children.

Her memberships in professional organizations included the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, where she served as a legislative councilor from North Carolina. She also served as president & received the Honors of the NC Speech, Hearing, & Language Association. She was elected to Who's Who in American Education, & Who's Who in the South & Southwest. She was a member of Phi Delta Kappa Gamma, Delta Kappa Gamma, & the Lychnos Society of VA. After retiring, Jo went on to publish two books about her life: "Ethel, Leave Her Alone!" & "Say the Whole Thing." She often traveled locally to do requested readings of these books.

Jo felt blessed in many ways throughout her life. She always believed her most important role was to be a mother to her two sons, Micheal Gaylord May & Gordon Whitten May. She was preceded in death by her spouse, Peter Driscoll; her former spouse, Jessie Gaylord May; & her daughter-in-law, Katherine May. She is survived by her sons; her daughter-in-law, Frankie Smith May; her grandchildren, Mary Jo May, Jessica Laken May, Erik Byron Bullock, Brooke Bullock Lao & her husband, Alex Lao; & and her great-grandchildren, River Rosa Lao and Porter Rey Lao.

A memorial service will be held Friday, May 2, at 1:00 p.m. in the private chapel at Centenary United Methodist Church, with a reception immediately following.