02/22/2008
Funeral services for Josephine Jo (Shawver) Black, 88, of Spencer, will be held at 10:30 a.m., today, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, at Hope Reformed Church of Spencer. Rev. Deb Mechler will officiate the service.
Interment will take place at Riverside Cemetery of Spencer.
Josephine passed away at the Worthington Hospital on Feb. 22, 2008, with her children and grandchildren at her side.
Josephine "Jo" Black, the daughter of Cecil and Daisy Shawver, was born Aug. 3, 1919, in Pleasantville. She graduated from high school in Knoxville, and went on to earn degrees in music and education from Morningside College in Sioux City. She lived and worked in Sioux City and Des Moines before moving to Spencer in 1948.
Jo married Kenneth M. Black on April 24, 1952. They became members of the Hope Reformed Church in 1953. Jo was active in the church as a Sunday School Teacher, in Bible study groups and Women of Hope, sang second soprano in the Hope Trio, and was choir director for 20 years. Her music career also included performing as a cellist with the Sioux City Symphony, singing or playing in the annual Spencer Messiah, and as a Messiah Board Member.
After Ken's death in 1968, Jo worked as the Hope Reformed Church secretary and then was a special education teaching assistant in the Spencer school system for many years. She also was a Sunshine Center Board Member. After retiring, she remained active in Federated Women's Club, Bible study, and other activities.
She was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother; husband, Ken; and two sisters: Maurine Glenn and Jennie Harsin.
Jo is survived by her children: Sharmin Black, Kevin Black and wife, Jennifer — all of Worthington, Minn., and Jocelyn Black and husband, Tim Hime of Circle Pines, Minn.; three grandchildren; two step-grandsons; and two sisters: Billie Hoekstra of Cedar Falls and Dixie Kanago of Spencer.
Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements.
Spencer Daily Reporter, Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Spouse:
Kenneth Mosher Black (1915 – 1968)*
Burial:
Riverside Cemetery
Spencer
Clay County
Iowa, USA