Judith "Jo" Joan (Ward) Garner, 82, passed away on March 1, 2024, in her home with family by her side.
Jo was born Jan. 30, 1942, in Alliance, Nebraska, to Martha and Roland Ward. She was raised in Hemingford, graduating with the class of 1959. On March 3, 1960, she married Jesse William Garner during a blizzard in Scottsbluff. They lived a ranching life in Lakeside before moving to Alliance to farm and ranch.
Jo worked outside the home at Parker Hannifin, later joining the BNSF Railroad and working for 30 years as a carman before retiring. She was known as "Jo Momma" to her fellow crew.
She moved to Oshkosh in 2022 after a health crisis and lived with her daughter, Laurie, for the remainder of her life.
Jo was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary in Alliance and the James Barry American Legion Post No. 9 Auxiliary in Hemingford. She was adored by many in both organizations and was known for being an excellent storyteller and conversationalist. She was known to strike up conversations with complete strangers and would have their whole life stories and friendship before they knew what had happened.
Jo's greatest loves were her family and making memories with them, traveling and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. She visited Australia, Hawaii and several other states with her family. She loved attending the extracurricular activities of her grandchildren, and was always their loudest cheerleader. She enjoyed collecting antiques and reading the local newspaper from front to back.
She was preceded in death by her parents Roland Ward and Martha Delhotal, her brothers Gene Ward and John Ward and sister Shirley Daugherty.
She is survived by her children, Leisa Zapata, Laurie (Mark) Soper, Jesse "Brady" Garner (Holly Wade) and Bruce (Trish) Garner; and her grandchildren, Mylena, Elisha and Ariana Aranda and Amiel Zapata, Tyler, Zachary and Cali Soper, Mitchell (Harlee), Zane and Mason Garner, and Lauren and Jake Garner.
A celebration of life will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 8, 2024, at Bates-Gould Chapel in Alliance, with a reception to follow at noon at the Alliance Eagles.