To this day, when a website asks for the name of my best childhood friend, my answer is always “JoAnn.” From the very beginning, Jo Ann was someone special—beautiful inside & out, (I always envied Her GORGEOUS hair:~)! She was brilliant, kind, honest, musically gifted, and a wonderful athlete. I can’t count the number of foot races we ran that ended in a tie (I tied her at least a couple of times I think:~). I wanted to play the piano like she did; but, no matter how much I practiced, I didn't have the talent she had. We played hopscotch or jumped on our pogo sticks & did our homework together almost every day until I left for Wasatch Academy in ninth grade. Jo Ann was a fabulous influence on me during those formative years—steady, encouraging, and joyful. She made life better just by being part of it! She was always willing to try the craziest things with me, like doing double backbends together all the way from my house to the school, climbed up doorways & the walls in my house -laughing the entire time. I also carry warm memories of her WONDERFUL family—her beautiful Mom, Audrey, teaching JoAnn, MaryAnn, Elizabeth, and me to dance the Hyland Fling. Those memories are treasures I’ve held onto my whole life. Jo Ann often asked me to become baptized in the Mormon Church (that was our conversation the last time she called me). This is how I knew she loved me too, and wanted us to be together in Heaven. I will miss her tremendously, but I'm forever thankful that I was so blessed to have her in my life!
Christine Lundgren (Cote')
To this day, when a website asks for the name of my best childhood friend, my answer is always “JoAnn.” From the very beginning, Jo Ann was someone special—beautiful inside & out, (I always envied Her GORGEOUS hair:~)! She was brilliant, kind, honest, musically gifted, and a wonderful athlete. I can’t count the number of foot races we ran that ended in a tie (I tied her at least a couple of times I think:~). I wanted to play the piano like she did; but, no matter how much I practiced, I didn't have the talent she had. We played hopscotch or jumped on our pogo sticks & did our homework together almost every day until I left for Wasatch Academy in ninth grade. Jo Ann was a fabulous influence on me during those formative years—steady, encouraging, and joyful. She made life better just by being part of it! She was always willing to try the craziest things with me, like doing double backbends together all the way from my house to the school, climbed up doorways & the walls in my house -laughing the entire time. I also carry warm memories of her WONDERFUL family—her beautiful Mom, Audrey, teaching JoAnn, MaryAnn, Elizabeth, and me to dance the Hyland Fling. Those memories are treasures I’ve held onto my whole life. Jo Ann often asked me to become baptized in the Mormon Church (that was our conversation the last time she called me). This is how I knew she loved me too, and wanted us to be together in Heaven. I will miss her tremendously, but I'm forever thankful that I was so blessed to have her in my life!