JO CRAVER BROWN, 100, of Fort Worth, TX was a
lifelong Christian who passed away in her sleep
on Jan. 10, 2021. Jo was interred in Laurel Land
at Ft. Worth, alongside her husband in their crypt.
After his 30-year wait she finally went to join him
in eternal joy; may perpetual light shine upon them
both.
Pictured here at around forty years old, Ruby Jo
("Jo") Craver was born in Ranger, TX, in Eastland
County on April 20, 1920, to Albert & Bettie Craver.
She was one of six children, only three of whom
survived childhood. Jo far outlived her adult
siblings, brother J.C. Craver & sister Jen Hanson.
After graduating Ranger High School in 1937, young
Jo ventured forth to the big city of Fort Worth in
Tarrant County. While attending Brantley Draughon
Business College she met her husband-to-be, Tommie
Brown. They had many the rendezvous at the Pig Stand
on West 7th Street near their school, and in Feb. of
1939, they were married and began their life together,
which lasted until Tom's death in 1991. Jo chose
never to remarry but enjoyed her life until the end.
While Jo was still a young mother, Tom went off to
fight in France during World War II. She went to work
at Consolidated Vultee, the bomber plant that made
B-24 Liberator bomber, as a clerical worker. Until the
wounded Tom made it back home, Jo's mother moved in
with her to help with their oldest child, Judy. Later
on after the war, two sons came along - first Paul,
then David. As for many Americans, the 1950's were
an idyllic time for the Brown Family.
Although it was busy raising three children, in the
early 1960's Jo became the proprietress of her own
shop, Fashion Fabrics on Bluebonnet Circle. Though
she only had it for a few years, it was right up her
alley because she had an enduring love of and talent
for sewing and embroidery.
Jo was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, but
never being a doting grandmother, was much more active
in many organizations & groups over the years, including
PTA while the kids were in school, the Fort Worth Women's
Club (especially the garden section), and PEO. At First
Presbyterian Church she was an integral member of the
Ladies' Church Circle, was an Elder, and was regularly
active in the Women's Association all the way up to the
Synod of Texas level. Tom and Jo belonged to the English
Speaking Union until his death.
During her last two decades Jo resided at Broadway Plaza
at Cityview, where she was well-known, popular, & sociable.
There she participated in dancing, bingo, exercise, dominoes,
and golf putting. She was in the Broadway Belles, a line-
dancing group that performed at various skilled nursing
facilities and even at Billy Bob's Texas! Her other great
favorite was playing computer Solitaire on her laptop
even at age 100. Remarkably during her tenure at Broadway,
Jo beat two different forms of cancer and survived both a
broken pelvis and a severe car wreck. Stoic and tough, she
finally just wore out and passed away from natural causes.
Jo is survived by her three children, Judy Calhoun of Minden,
NV, Paul Brown and wife Pam of Bryan TX, and David Brown &
wife Sharon of Dripping Springs, TX. She also leaves behind
seven grandchildren (Shane, Chris, Mandy, Mary, Mallory,
Emily, and Holly) and seven great-grandchildren.