Josephine (Jo) died Nov. 15, 2021 at Brookdale Senior Living Solutions in Staunton, VA, near her daughter where she had lived for three years. She was born Sept. 27, 1924, in Person County, NC, to Mattie Eva Young and Joe L. Buchanan.
She graduated at 16 from Oxford High School (NC) and left the farm for Greensboro NC where she graduated from Kings Business School. Jo met her future husband, Henry Tim Curtis, a soldier from Kansas stationed near Greensboro, at a luncheon arranged by her landlady. In 1945, she became a war bride when they married. After the war they settled in Tim’s hometown, Kansas City, KS, where they shared 59 years of marriage.
Jo always enjoyed life and new adventures including traveling, especially to visit her North Carolina family. She and Tim wintered in Port Aransas TX after retirement. She enjoyed doing handwork, quilting, crocheting and also did china painting. She was an active member of Welborn Community Church in Kansas City serving as a deaconess, participating in the women’s Cereus Circle, and taking on various leadership roles. She joined the senior bowling league at Ranch West and continued to bowl until she was 90. She was a member of the Golden Age Senior Club at Victory Hills Baptist Church, a member of an on-going card club and a women’s Bible study.
She first worked in the credit department of VanStory Clothing Company in Greensboro, then after her children were in school she was employed at Montgomery Wards in Kansas City, New Holland Machine Company (KC), and retired from the General Electric Company (KC) in 1985.
She is survived by two children: Susan (Rev. Jeff) Allen and Leslie (Gerry) Curtis; five grandchildren: Eric (Rachel) Allen, Joel (Jill) Allen, Emily (David) Gresock, Jill (Kevin) Diggs, Ben (Tiffany) Curtis; 10 great-grandchildren: Jacqueline, Timothy, and Todd Allen, Paul and Kate Gresock, Lena, Jessa, and Vera Allen, Ruby Curtis, Hunter Diggs; one great-great grandson, Theodore Childress.
A memorial service was held Saturday, Nov. 20, 2:00 p.m., at Verona United Methodist Church, Verona, VA, officiated by the Revs. Bob Weeks and Jeff Allen. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, Nov. 30, 11:00 a.m., at Chapel Hill Cemetery, 701 N. 94th St., Kansas City KS, officiated by Rev. Jeff Allen. Porter Funeral Homes and Crematory is handling burial arrangements.