Eva Jo Grimmett

Eva Jo Grimmett was born April 29, 1932 in Osage, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Tommy Ivan and Allie (Beasley) Perkins. Jo had a sister, Ruby who was ten years older and the family resided in Osage until Jo was eleven and then moved to Konawa. Jo who didnít like to be called Eva attended Vamoosa schools and played a little basketball for a couple of years. In the ninth or tenth grade she moved with her family to Morris, Oklahoma, where she met Alfred Grimmett and the couple was married on February 27, 1942 in Greenwood, Arkansas. Al and Jo made their initial home in Morris at which time Jo completed her education and devoted her life to her family. She often said that if she could have changed anything in her life it would have been to finish high school and then attend college, majoring in history and art. While living in Morris they started their family, Judy Kaye was born February 14, 1951 and Carey Ann on April 15, 1954. From there the family moved to Glenpool, then several years later to Seminole and on to Cleveland. Although Jo didnít finish school, she was extremely gifted in creating beautiful things with her hands. She was an excellent seamstress sewing all the clothes for her daughters from the time they were born to a wedding dress for Judy and all the bridesmaid dresses. As the grandchildren arrived, Jo continued making clothing for them and occasionally would make a dress for herself. Additionally, she enjoyed other types of crafts including embroidery, knitting, crocheting and making floral arrangements for the home and Memorial Day. A trip through her home would reveal all of the beautiful things she had made. She also loved working in the garden and canning vegetables. When the time came that Jo needed to seek employment she accepted a position at Musingwear in Hominy sewing hems on T-Shirts. She worked there for many years, retiring in 1994. Jo accepted Jesus as her Personal Savior after she was married to Al. The couple raised their girls in the church, as both Al and Jo taught Sunday School. After moving to Cleveland they transferred their membership and joined the First Baptist Church and were active members. In 1987, Al went to be with the Lord on July 14, 1987 at the age of fifty-nine. Jo continued serving the Lord as she taught the fifth grade class of First Baptist for nearly forty-one years. It is estimated that she presented the word of God to nearly three hundred and thirty children during this time in hopes that they might come to know Christ as their personal savior. She loved teaching and when her mind began to be affected by the onset of dementia, teaching was one of the hardest things for her to give up. Jo resided at home with the help of family, friends and special caregivers, Kathy and Debbie for about a year after celebrating her seventy-fifth birthday. In June of 2007, Jo moved to Owasso to reside at Homestead of Owasso, an assisted living facility. In July of 2009 she moved to Wood Manor Nursing Center in Claremore. Jo was an active person who dedicated her life to serving God and helping those around her. She assisted with the care and raising of her nephew, Richard Wickware that came to live with her family when he was young; she loved him like a brother. She traveled very little during her lifetime but did enjoy a couple of trips to Branson with her daughters and sister, Ruby. In 2006, she experienced her trip of a lifetime, traveling with her good friend Lucille Annett to Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren, Josh playing football and basketball; Curtis playing baseball; and Aimee playing softball for many years. Joís faith ended in sight when she saw her Savior, Jesus Christ at 2:45 Am, Thursday, January 7, 2010. In addition to her husband, Jo was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, Ruby Stephens. She is survived by her two daughters and tlheir husbands, Carey and Richard Bohannan of Owasso, Oklahoma and Judy and Rick Allison of Beggs, Oklahoma; two grandsons, Joshua and Lindsay Goodson of Illinois and Curtis and Blaklee Bohannan of Collinsville, Oklahoma; a granddaughter, Aimee Bohannan of Tulsa, Oklahoma; nephew, Richard Wickware of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas; brother-in-law and his wife, Charles and Kay Grimmett of Morrison, Oklahoma; brother-in-law and his wife, Ray and Verlie Grimmett of Tecumseh, Oklahoma; sister-in-law and her husband, Jean and Otis Seigenthaler; and a brother-in-law, Les Stephens of California.