Joyce Joann Lockhart

Joyce JoAnn Rider Lockhart passed away Thursday, May 04, 2017. She was born April 9, 1934 in Iowa Park to Mayme Lee (Harwell) and James Rider.

Jo grew up in the Wichita Falls area and worked at a jewelry store owned by a Jewish couple who were good friends with Harry Winston (Winston Diamonds). Mr. Winston would call weekly and quiz Jo on the Old Testament. She always got a kick out of Mr. Winston being astonished that a teenage Christian girl knew about the Old Testament. While working at the store, she met and later married Wesley Lockhart on September 29, 1953. She relocated to his hometown in Riverside, CA.

She graduated from Riverside Community College with a degree in liberal arts. She enjoyed singing, dancing, playing the piano, painting and writing. She was a member of the Sweet Adelines-Inland Empire Chapter for years. She painted a wide variety of oil and water paintings over the years. She also loved baseball.

Jo was a stay at home mother, PTO President, Bluebird leader, Boy Scout leader and Little League team mom. She got to witness Nolan Ryan throw a no hitter against Baltimore on June 1, 1975 while chaperoning the entire little league team to a California Angels baseball game. After moving back home to Texas, she worked until retirement in the office at the Gainesville State School TDCJ.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Mary Frances Gordon, and niece, Misty Ann Bolin Penticoff.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Dulcie Lockhart of Gainesville; sons, John Lockhart and Stephen Linneman of Hickory Creek; and daughter and son-in-law, Teresa and Mark McElreath of Gainesville; grandchildren, Ragon McElreath, Reese Anne McElreath and Samantha Lockhart; sister and brother-in-law LaFaun and Robert Brock; niece, Dana Jo and Jim Schwebach and other nieces and nephews.

A visitation/memorial is planned for Thursday, May 11, 2017 from 6-8 at Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home with some of her artwork and poetry on display.

The family would like to thank Home Hospice Plus nurses Twilla Starr and Jannette Grewing for the patience, love and compassion they treated Jo with. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Plus or Noah’s Ark.