Jo Ann Fowler Mazza passed away at her home in Huntsville on January 23 after battling Parkinson’s disease with grace and dignity. She was born on December 29, 1935 in Florence, Alabama, the daughter of Charles Wesley Fowler and Gladys Parnell Fowler. Her mother subsequently married Robert McIntyre of Florence, who was a supportive stepfather to Jo Ann.
Jo Ann attended Coffee High School in Florence and graduated from Auburn University with a degree in home economics. At Auburn, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. After graduation she took a position as a social worker with the State of Alabama and was sent to Nashville to complete a master’s degree in social work. She eventually moved to Huntsville to live with her uncle, William Fowler. In 1960 she met and married Sylvester John Mazza, Jr., who operated Mazza Realty and Investment Company. They enjoyed a happy marriage until his death in 2005. She is survived by her two sons, John, of Huntsville, and Stephen, of Lawrence, Kansas; and her niece, Stacie Garvin, of Huntsville.
Jo Ann thanks all the girls at the welfare department for their friendship and for making her working life so enjoyable. They worked collectively to protect those who were unable to protect themselves, particularly children who were subject to abuse and neglect. She thanks especially Mary Butler, who was a long-time mentor and a trusted friend. She mourned the loss of another friend, Jane Mabry, who passed away several years ago. Jane encouraged her interest in antiques and estate sales and trained with her to compete in many road races, including a triathlon that was completed in their sixties.
Notwithstanding her undergraduate degree, Jo Ann did not particularly enjoy housework. Those who were dissatisfied with the meal she had prepared were invited not to eat. She raised her family on East Clinton Avenue and enjoyed visiting with her neighbors who included her in-laws and the Bridges family. She also liked spending time with her faithful companion, Max, her Jack Russell terrier, who passed away a couple of years ago. As those who have family members with Parkinson’s know, sufferers often experience hallucinations. The fact that Max could come back and visit after his passing was one of the few bright spots associated with the disease. She also enjoyed spending time at her vacation home in Monteagle, Tennessee and later Beersheba Springs, Tennessee.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, January 26th at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A funeral mass will take place 10 a.m. Monday at Church of the Visitation in Huntsville with Father William Kelly officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery. Lunch will be served at the Visitation Parish Hall following the burial.
Memorials may be made in her honor to the Beersheba Springs Medical Clinic, P.O. Box 112, Beersheba Springs, Tennessee 37305.
