February 21 2017: YATES, Jo Ann

Jo Ann Yates

Jo Ann Yates had an amazing life, and she did it her way!  Born Jo Ann Grewenig in Elgin, IL on January 21, 1943 to a staunch German Blacksmith and a stubborn Norwegian mother, she had talent and will on her side.  Doing well in school and receiving awards in science, she headed off to Quincy College, a Jesuit School, where everything changed.  Science was boring compared to Arts and Theatre, and exploring these new opportunities led to a change in major and in life. Next, she was off to Washington, DC and the Catholic University Speech and Drama Department for her first master’s degree.  Summers were spent at the box office at Olney Theatre, and in 1968, a year of profound events both nationally and personally, it is there that she met Robert Yates and his considerable family. They were married before the end of the year.  In early 1969, she inadvertently found an opportunity to teach in a school for youth who were trainable but suffering with serious mental limitations, in Prince Georges County and everything changed again. Her love of and skill in theatre played a significant role in her classroom antics and brought a magic to the entire school.  Her career in the county spanned some 40 years and the changes and accolades became part of her life.  She thrived and she loved it! The late 60’s and most of the 70’s were sports car rally days.  Bob and Jo Ann competed and won on a regular basis, plus being the sparkplug for the group.  She was president of Washington Rally Club, long-time administrator for local rallies, and the rally master for the MG 1000, an international event up north. Then there were the boys, Thomas and Michael born in the late 70’s.  Naturally, she was on the school board, a soccer mom, a Cub Scout Den Leader, a Boy Scout parent, and more, all while earning another master’s degree at Trinity College. Her marriage to Robert ended after 26 years, and her education continued to just short of a doctoral degree. Toward the end of Jo Ann’s professional career, she transitioned from teacher of many to advocate for all, as a Pupil Personnel Worker, still in Prince Georges County. She combined her talents and skill to instill a higher degree of professionalism in those responsible for providing the best possible education for any student. At the same time, while still meeting with individual students she came up with unique projects for the student to help with life lessons that would go beyond just school discipline. All the while, she was an avid reader to blind persons and an avid bridge player in the community. She died peacefully in her home on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Friday, February 17, 2017.  There will be a gathering of family and friends on Wednesday, February 22^nd from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Blvd West, Silver Spring, MD.  The funeral will be at 10:30am the following day at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church located at 8^th and N Streets NW, in Washington, DC.  Interment will be at her family home in Elgin, IL at a later date. Donations may be made in her honor to the Metropolitan Washington Ear, Inc.  (www.washear.org).

She leaves her sons Thomas of Washington, DC, Michael (Katie), of Burke, VA, two granddaughters, her mother Marvis, her brothers David and Joe, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father Joe Grewenig, her sister Carole, and her sister-in-law Julie.