Jo Anne (Hightower) Fanning, age 72, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2026.

Jo Anne was born on December 30, 1953, in Sherman, Texas, to Francis Ray and Nata Hightower. She grew up in Sadler, Texas, where she attended school and graduated from S&S High School. It was during those years that Jo Anne began building many of the relationships and memories that would remain an important part of her life. Jo and Lewis were crowned “Mr. And Mrs. S&S” upon graduation.

On May 9, 1973, Jo Anne married the love of her life and her high school sweetheart, Lewis Fanning. Together, they built a life and a family filled with love, laughter, hard work, and countless memories. Their love was a lasting part of Jo Anne's story, and after Lewis's passing, she carried that love with her while continuing to devote herself to the family they had built together.

Jo Anne was a strong, hardworking woman who believed in doing things the right way and giving her best to whatever was placed in front of her. She spent much of her career serving her community, working for the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, with the Texas Attorney General's Office, and for S&S CISD and Anna ISD before retiring. Through each chapter of her working life, she was known for her dedication, determination, and strength.

But while Jo Anne was proud of the work, she did, her greatest source of love was her for family.

Jo Anne leaves behind her sons, Ricky Fanning and Mark Fanning; grandsons Blake Fanning and Caden Morrow; sisters Donna Carden and her husband Ken and Hedy Jones; brother Steven Hightower and wife Kathy; along with many other beloved family members and friends who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

Jo Anne was many things to many people a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, coworker, and friend. She was a woman who worked hard, loved deeply, and faced life with strength and determination. Her life was not measured simply by the years she lived, but by the people she loved, the lives she touched, and the memories she created along the way.

Those who knew Jo Anne will remember her in the stories they tell, the memories they share, and in the love she gave so freely to her family. Though her presence will be deeply missed, the love she poured into those around her will continue to live on through the family she cherished so dearly.

Jo Anne will be deeply missed, loved, and never forgotten.

Thank you to the Whitesboro Health and Rehabilitation for giving Jo Ann comfort in the final moments of her journey.

Services are under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held Monday, August 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Sadler Community Center.