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She was known for her colorful, creative spirit and infectious smile.

Jo Ann Woodland, beloved mother, wife, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2026, in Dickson, Tennessee, at the age of 68. Born on a brisk January day 1958 in Cape May, New Jersey, Jo Ann Caldwell – known to all as Jo Ann Woodland – graced this world with her vibrant spirit, boundless compassion, and unmistakable zest for life.

From her earliest days, Jo Ann’s childhood was colored with sunshine and the sea breeze of the Jersey coast. She cherished her time growing up at the beach, where days were spent painting, reading, laughing, and making fast friends with her warm and open heart. Jo Ann’s life began in a lively household, one of six children, raised near her grandparents’ fishing dock. There, she learned the art of wholesome, heartfelt cooking from her small but fiercely capable grandmother, and sewing her own school clothes with skillful hands that would always, even decades later, be covered in paint. Her love and respect for animals blossomed early—her home was never without animals, and she filled her daughters’ lives with the same kindness and reverence for all creatures. Time after time, she offered a safe haven for countless strays who had been neglected and deserted, teaching that gentleness is life’s greatest gift.

A proud graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School, Jo Ann’s affinity for creativity led her to earn a degree in Graphic Arts. Her professional journey spanned diverse paths: she dedicated more than 25 years inspiring students as an art teacher, touching young hearts and minds with her ever-present encouragement. She was the teacher who would pause by a student’s work to say, “You can do better,” urging them toward their best with gentle guidance and the assurance that each child was an artist at heart. Her legacy as a professional artist radiated through her mastery of mixed media: pottery, acrylics, and many crocheted pieces that she would sell at festivals and craft fairs. Jo Ann also served her community as a bus driver and a Head Start teacher, roles in which her kindness, patience, and friendship left indelible marks.

Jo Ann’s interests painted the seasons of her life with joy and color. She found happiness in her garden, tending vegetables and produce each summer, canning for the winter months ahead. She delighted in concerts, painting as a student for many years at the Centennial Art Center, laughter-filled phone calls with dear friends, and treating herself to cordial cherries or any coconut macaroon she could get her hands on. She liked to end many of her nights by falling asleep to Bob Ross painting, ever seeking inspiration and joy in the simple things.

The heart of Jo Ann’s legacy is her family. She loved them deeply and with all her being. She was a devoted wife to Glenn Woodland, her high school classmate and cherished partner of over forty years. Together, they built a life layered with adventure, music, art, travel, and unwavering love. Jo Ann adored her two daughters, Amanda Baucom and Jessie Thompson, embracing motherhood as her proudest accomplishment and greatest joy. Her granddaughter, Margot, was the apple of her eye, and Grandma Jo Jo looked lovingly ahead to the arrival of her second granddaughter, anticipated this coming August.

Jo Ann’s boundless love extended beyond the home; she had a special knack for turning those who were once acquaintances into her forever family. She always filled every room with warmth, exuberance, and laughter. She was known for her colorful, creative spirit and infectious smile. Friends and family alike remember her as welcoming, hardworking, smart, and endlessly encouraging—always able to fix anything from a light socket to a lawn mower and to gather others in celebration of life’s smallest miracles.

Jo Ann had a history of illness', though she never let it dim her light. Determined (and hard-headed,) no matter how many health tribulations came her way, she kept caring for those she loved and dreaming of her next adventure just like she always did. Her steadfast faith carried her throughout her life - believing that The Father had a purpose and plan for her and that when He was ready to call her home, she would indeed be made anew. We rest in knowing that she is having the best time dancing, making friends and painting heavens scenery with colors we've yet to see - and for that we give praise.

Jo Ann Woodland is survived by her husband, Glenn Woodland; her daughters, Amanda Baucom and her husband and Jessie Thompson and her husband; and her precious granddaughter, Margot, along with her soon-to-arrive granddaughter, her brothers John Caldwell and his wife and Billy Joe Caldwell and his wife, and her sister Sandy Aponte. She now is reunited in peace with her sister Ross Matthews, brother Bobby Caldwell, mother Dolly Caldwell, and her niece Corrine Mcdevitt as well as her dear friends, Debby Pottson and Diane Twilly.

We will have an art show/potluck/and painting party to honor Jo Ann’s extraordinary life. It will be held September 6th at the Bluffalo (4484 US-70, White Bluff, TN 37187) from 4:30 to 6:30 and all are welcome - just as she would have wanted. If you have pieces of her work, you are welcome to bring them in and show them. Feel free to bring a dish to share as well (though your presence is more than enough.) Those who knew her will forever remember her as a source of hope, humor, love, and inspiration—a woman whose hands and heart molded more than beautiful art, but a beautiful world around her.

Jo Ann’s legacy lives on in every heart she touched, in every piece of art she inspired, and in the loving family and friends who will carry her memory forward.

In lieu of flowers, we are asking anyone who feels inclined to help by donating towards Jo Ann's outstanding medical debt. More info below.

Support Jo Ann's family in their time of need