Obituary: Jo Anelen Mann, 66, Cox’s Creek
Jo Anelen Mann, 66, of Cox’s Creek, was born Jan. 27, 1957, in Bardstown to proud and beaming parents, Sue and James Allen Wells. Much of her childhood was spent laughing, playing and exploring the wide-open, sprawling and fertile farmland of Cox’s Creek.
After attending grade and high school in Taylorsville and then studying horticulture at Eastern Kentucky University, she returned to that fertile ground and grow a vibrant life of her own. That life was cut short June 17, 2023, by a prolonged and resilient battle with breast cancer. She died with her friends and family at her side.
She was a mother of three and a wife to her husband Garry for 43 years. She spent her life cultivating — figuratively and literally — a great many things that included extensive gardens, prolific friendships, a love of adventure, and a lasting legacy.
She sought to live her life in full bloom. Her time was spent savoring the colorful, whimsical, playful avenues of life and little else. She was relentlessly silly and an enemy of self-seriousness. She radiated a passion for gardening and never hesitated to share help with others to grow theirs. She was a celebrated folk artist who was recognized by the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program for her corn husk dolls. She was an avid fan of live music, with a particularly strong affinity for Willie Nelson. She was also an incredible roller skater.
In the face of daunting odds and an unwanted path in what would become the last chapter of her life, she never cowered or ran from her plight. She dug deep and found a resolve within herself that would ripple out and resonate with droves of individuals who were met with similar circumstances. Through the National Breast Cancer Coalition, she became an active advocate for breast cancer awareness, with plans to fight and work for that cause up until her time ran out. She was also an active volunteer for Twisted Pink and served on the committee planning the annual gala which she loved to attend with her family.
She sowed selflessness and love into every facet of her life, and she will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.
She is survived by her husband Garry; two daughters, Tara Alcorn and Susan Stokes (Tyler); one son, Kyle Mann (Megan); one stepdaughter, Christy Hardin (Larry); her mother, Sue; three sisters, Betsy Kelien, Jana Lyons and Cara Stigger; one brother, Allen Wells; and five grandchildren with a sixth soon to arrive.
The funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at the First Baptist Church in Mount Washington with burial in the Mount Washington Cemetery.
Visitation is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at the McFarland-Troutman-Proffitt Funeral Home and after 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at the church.
In lieu of flowers, all memorial contributions may be made to Twisted Pink.
The McFarland-Troutman-Proffitt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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