Jo Ann was born in Enid, Oklahoma on January 7, 1937 to Benson and Ruth Jack. While a young child she contracted rheumatic fever. She remembered getting goats milk and meat stamps from neighbors during the war. Spending time with her grandmother and out at her Uncle Jess’ farm playing with her cousins were fond memories. During her high school years, she worked as a lifeguard and met Jim Whitlock whom she would later marry on July 19, 1957 in Enid.
They would move to Carson City, Nevada so that Jim could finish his time with the Marine Corps and she worked at an air force base. In November of 1958 they moved to Hamilton, Montana. They lived in a small duplex on Marcus, moving to a farm house north of Corvallis, then moving to the house on 3rd Street where they would live until 2024.
Jo Ann enjoyed the mountains on a daily basis. She loved spending time hiking, camping, picnicking, skiing, and sewing. One of her favorite spots to picnic or camp was up Blodgett Canyon. When the kids were young the family would spend winter weekends at Lost Trail Ski Area in the old patrol shack. Summers would bring the annual camping trip at Horse Creek Hot Springs.
Jo Ann started working part-time at the Ravalli County Federal Credit Union in 1966. In 1971 she became the treasurer/manager, a position she held until her retirement in 2000. She took the credit union from a one room office located in Rocky Mountain Labs, to a $10 million, multi-person operation at the time of her retirement. She was the Montana Credit Union Person of the Year, a board member of the Treasure State Corporate Credit Union, also serving as chairperson. She went to Washington D.C. and participated in a rally to support the credit union movement. She spent three summers attending school at the Credit Union National Association school in Madison, Wisconsin to further her knowledge as a treasurer/manager.
She was also a participant in the KEEP (Kellogg Extension Education Program) which later turned into the MLDA group (Montana Leadership Development Association) for over 50 years. Her involvement in her community included serving as a Girl Scout leader, an election judge and chief election judge. She also had an open-door policy to members new to the community or in need in the community. We often had new/old friends at Christmas breakfast, a Whitlock tradition. Jo Ann was also very involved with the Hamilton Players Inc., serving on their board of directors, costume designer, stage manager, house manager, and bookkeeper.
She was a long-time member of the United Methodist American Baptist Federated Church. She was involved in women’s groups, served as a Sunday school teacher and served on the board.
Jo Ann was preceded in death by her husband James J. Whitlock, son Bryan Wayne Whitlock, brother John Jack, grandson Allen Jack Dickerson. She is survived by daughter Trudy Dickerson, grandson Matthew Dickerson (Tara), and their three children; grandsons Ely Whitlock (Taylor) and two sons, and Riley Whitlock; son Randy Whitlock, granddaughters Sierra Whitlock and Sidney Whitlock.
A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at the United Methodist American Baptist Church in Hamilton. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com