Jo Ann Smothers Walker Obituary
Jo Ann Smothers Walker, a beloved artist, historian, and vibrant personality, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 1:30 a.m. She was 83 years old. Jo's final year and a half were brightened by the devoted care of Benji, Devon, and Tatu, whose warmth, humor, and meticulous attention enriched her life immeasurably.
Born on August 1, 1941 in Austin, Jo graduated from Austin High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin. She shared over 55 loving years with her dearest friend and partner, Carolyn-affectionately known as "C." Together, they embarked on countless adventures and cherished their decades-long annual participation in the Texas Renaissance Festival, where Jo showcased her extraordinary talent as a stained glass artist and mosaic creator in their shop Fantasy Glass. A gifted teacher and renowned local artist, Jo's work left an indelible mark on her community.
Jo's father was George Edward Smothers, and her mother was Catherine Lee Huck, granddaughter of Judge H.J. (Heinrich Joseph) Huck and Hannah Catherine Rogers. The Huck Family, after settling in New Orleans, established a shipping, lumber, and railroad enterprise which was instrumental in facilitating German migration into South and Central Texas through the port of Indianola. The Hucks later moved into Victoria, and Austin, Texas in the 1870s. Edgemont, the Huck family estate, was located on the land behind today's Camp Mabry spanning all the way to Mount Bonnell, where the Windsor neighborhood is now located. Jo was proud of her family's remarkable history, and she researched and authored an extensive family history and was published at an early age.
Jo's love of Coca-Cola and all things Disney were on display everywhere in her home, but it was her love affair with butter that drove her loved ones to fits with every discussion of eating healthy in her elderly years. More than happy to live life on her own terms, with a wry smile and a single raised corner of an eyebrow that said "that's just how it is." That's also Jo.
She was a remarkably strong yet soft, serious yet subtly hilarious, utterly unique woman. We will all miss her terribly.
Jo's remains will be interred in Austin's historic Oakwood Cemetery in the Huck family plot, where many past generations of Jo's ancestors have been laid to rest.
A celebration of Jo's life, loves, and personality will be announced.
