Jo Ann Bishop Watts, 80, of Gadsden, Alabama, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, November 2, 2026, leaving behind a beautiful legacy of faith, love, education, and devotion to her family.
Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at Collier-Butler Funeral Home, 824 Rainbow Drive, Gadsden, Alabama, with Rev. Caleb Caudle and Rev. L. Dale Butler officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home prior to the service, beginning at 10:30 a.m. until the hour of service. Following the service, Jo Ann will be laid to rest at Southside Cemetery.
Jo Ann was raised in Cherokee County, Alabama, where she grew up in a hardworking family of sharecroppers and cotton pickers. Those humble beginnings instilled in her a strong work ethic, determination, and an appreciation for the opportunities that education could provide. She attended Emma Sansom High School and, in 1963, married the love of her life, James Curtis “Curt” Watts, Sr., who lovingly referred to her as his “Joby.” Their marriage was the beginning of a lifetime of love, family, and cherished memories.
With the unwavering love and encouragement of her husband, Jo Ann pursued her passion for education. She attended Gadsden State Community College, Jacksonville State University, and the University of Alabama, earning advanced qualifications in education. Her studies included specialist-level training in learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, autism, adaptive physical education, and psychology. She also earned endorsements in reading.
Jo Ann devoted many years of her life to teaching at Glencoe Middle School as a special education teacher. She possessed a remarkable gift for recognizing the potential in every child and worked tirelessly to ensure that her students were given the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. Her dedication and compassion did not go unnoticed, and she was honored as Glencoe Middle School’s Teacher of the Year. Teaching was more than a profession to Jo Ann; it was a calling, and the difference she made in the lives of her students will continue to be felt for generations.
Above all, Jo Ann’s greatest joy was her family. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, and proud grandmother and great-grandmother. An avid reader with an extraordinary love for books, Jo Ann believed that one of the greatest gifts she could give her family was the ability to read. She lovingly shared that passion with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, teaching them to read before they ever entered kindergarten. Through this simple but meaningful gift, she passed along a love of learning that will remain part of her legacy.
Her faith was an important part of her life. Jo Ann was a longtime, faithful member of Carnes Baptist Church until its closing and had recently joined Bachelors Chapel Church. Her love for the Lord was reflected in her devotion to her family, her compassion for others, and the countless lives she touched throughout her years.
Jo Ann was preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Curtis “Curt” Watts, Sr.; her parents, Hugh and Velma Bishop; her grandsons, Sgt. Jason Harkins and Cody Richardson; her granddaughter, Emily Hicks-Anderson; her great-grandson, Baby Cody Watts; her chosen grandsons, Alex Cook and Jason Harmony; her sister, Shirley McCoy; her brothers, Clinton Bishop, Mackey Bishop, Jackie Bishop, and Jerry Bishop; and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Those left to cherish her precious memory include her children, April (Bob) Harkins, Jill Watts, and Jamie (Rachael) Watts; her grandchildren, Adam Watts, Scott (Jessica) Hicks, Chrissy (Ashley Keller) Watts, Matthew Harkins, Taylor (Jessica) Mitchell, Katie (Josh) Maiden, Kacey (Zach Phillips) Watts, Griffin (Ashtin) Pitts, and Tristin Watts; a host of great-grandchildren; her chosen son, John (Grace) Money; her chosen daughters, Jenny Pitts and Suzy Hood; and a host of extended family members.
Jo Ann’s grandsons will have the honor of serving as pallbearers, while her granddaughters will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to Christi Farley, Deanna Prickett, the compassionate staff of Regency Pointe Memory Care, and the dedicated staff of Aveanna Hospice, especially Terri, Savannah, and Karen, for the exceptional love, kindness, and care shown to Jo Ann and her family.
Though her earthly journey has come to an end, Jo Ann’s influence will live on through the generations she helped shape, the students she inspired, and the family she loved so dearly. The lessons she taught extended far beyond the classroom, and her legacy will forever be written in the hearts of those who were blessed to know her.
