Jo Ann (Rawls) Caperton passed away on August 13, 2020. She had a severe stroke on September 6, 2019, and never really recovered from that condition. Fortunately she remained in her home and was able to spend time with her husband. Jo Ann was born in Pensacola, FL, on June 17, 1947, to Cleveland and Ola Mae (Barnes) Rawls. Jo Ann attended elementary school in Ensley, FL, middle school in Brentwood, FL, and graduated from Tate High School in Gonzalez, FL. She was in the band at Tate and upon graduation received a scholarship to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, MS. From there she went to Auburn University for a short time and graduated with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Mississippi State University in 1970. After graduation she married Frank Caperton on June 6, 1970, and moved to Shreveport, LA where her husband was employed. She and Frank moved from Shreveport back to Pensacola for a short period of time before moving to Knoxville, TN, in 1972 where they lived for 30 years. In 2003 they moved to Daphne, AL. Jo Ann was very active in community service for a large part of her life, serving as a Commissioner of the Knox County Ambulance Authority as well as a docent for the Knoxville Zoo and a docent at James White Fort also in Knoxville. She was also active in the Artist community in Knoxville, and attended schooling at Arrowmont Arts and Craft school in Gatlinburg, TN where she learned to do stone carving. This was her true calling. She thrived on stone carving and continued to do it for the rest of her life. Upon moving to AL she became active in the Artist community and not only continued to do stone carving but took up pottery and sculpturing. Jo Ann was predeceased by her younger brother Jeffery Glen Rawls and her parents. She is survived by her husband Frank and a younger brother Lester Devon Rawls and sister-in-law Wanita (Chandler) Rawls of Molino, FL. She will be cremated and put to rest near her brother whom she loved dearly.
Due to COVID-19 memorial services, in Fairhope, AL and Knoxville, TN will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope, AL.
