Mara JoAnn Sullivan

Mara JoAnn (James) Sullivan, age 93, of Weldon, Iowa, daughter of Lloyd Everett and Gladys Izetta (Bailey) James was born August 20, 1929, in Osceola, Iowa and died June 13, 2023, in Osceola, Iowa.

JoAnn grew up in rural Clarke and Decatur counties. She was the third daughter of the four James girls, Virginia, Lois, and Donna Jean. She was a long-time member of the LeRoy Presbyterian Church. On June 5, 1947, JoAnn married Allen Clark Sullivan in Troy, Kansas. She graduated from LeRoy High School in 1948, and had fond memories of playing six on six women’s basketball. The couple started their life together in rural Wayne and Clarke counties. Three children, Jerry Allen, James Leo, and Jeffrey Michael, blessed this union.

The couple owned the LeRoy Store from 1951-1955, and moved to their farm just northwest of LeRoy in 1959. JoAnn’s happiest memories were on the farm with Allen raising their family and spending time with family and friends. They enjoyed traveling, listening to music, maintaining a beautiful garden, raising milk cows and playing cards. JoAnn enjoyed many hobbies and was an avid reader, loved to craft, winter in Arizona, and attend jam sessions. JoAnn dearly loved her family and in later years enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family will remember the many wonderful holidays spent with JoAnn. She had a loving and kind heart and will be greatly missed.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband Allen; son, Jerry and wife Kathy Sullivan; son, Jeffrey Sullivan; sisters and brothers-in-law, Virginia and Lloyd Garner, Lois and Wayne Fortune, and Donna McBroom; step-mother, Edith Adams Wallace James; brothers-in-law, John Sullivan and wife, Donola, and Orlan Boggs, Jr.

Left to cherish her memory are son, James Sullivan and wife, Betty of Weldon; daughter-in-law, Carla Sullivan of Osceola; grandchildren, Kerry Sullivan of Osceola, Matt (Jenna) Sullivan of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Kimberly (Dan) Brimm of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Daniel (Emily) Sullivan of Osceola, Jacob (Beth) Sullivan of Lake Ozark, Missouri, Jason (Stephanie) Sullivan of St. Louis, Missouri, and Chelsey (Glenn) Murphy of St. Louis; 12 great-grandchildren, Kylor, Allen, Cora, Jade, Tyler, Teagan, Liam, Declan, Hudson, Annalise, Grady and Nolan; step-sister, Arlene Lemieux of Rhode Island; brother-in-law, Cloyd McBroom of Lacon, Illinois; sister-in-law, Helen Ruth Boggs of Humeston, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews, friends and other loved ones.

Funeral services will be held at the Slade - O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Iowa at 10 a.m. Monday, June 19, 2023, with Pastor Donna Murphy-Ceradsky officiating.  Burial will be in the Garden Grove Cemetery, Garden Grove, Iowa.