Jo Donaldson

Johnette "Jo" Donaldson entered into eternal rest in the wee hours of July 28, 2021, in Tucson, AZ with her loving daughter at her side. Jo was born in Virden, New Mexico on March 4, 1939, to John LaVar Lines & Emma Jean Jones Lines. Jo is the second of five children; Farrell, Gene, David, and Edna. Jo grew up in Virden and was the last person to graduate from Virden High School before its closure in 1956. She accelerated her education graduating her junior year and took the Arizona & New Mexico State Championship in tennis, due to the Virden school closing, and attending Duncan High School. After taking state, she moved to Safford where she attended the Safford Beauty College graduating with her cosmetology license. She had begun dating Jimmy Donaldson while still in Virden and continued as he was attending Gila Academy, currently known as Eastern Arizona College. On May 28, 1957, after quite the mix-up with their marriage license, the couple married in the Mesa Arizona Temple. The couple was blessed with six children; Jayme, Joni, Kevin, Kyle, Krystal, and Karson. The family lived in Tucson until 1970 so that Jim could continue his education at the University of Arizona, then moved to San Manuel, AZ where Jim was hired as the head basketball coach. Jo worked several jobs as her children began to grow, driving the school bus and later working at Mervyn's in the Tucson Mall. The family was everything to Jim & Jo and they spent all of their time together as a family, camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting. Jo loved to crochet and has given everyone she knows a doily or two. She also enjoyed working on puzzles, reading, and doing crossword puzzles. She hated the color yellow and loved the beach, she was a night owl, enjoyed going for rides at sunset, making special trips up north to see the fall colors, was very competitive, and above all, loved her family. She leaves behind her loving high school sweetheart of 64 years Jim Donaldson, her children Jayme (Mike) Gauthier of Safford, AZ, Joni (Larry) Marshall of Payson, AZ, Kevin (Marcelle) Donaldson of Eagar, AZ, Kyle (SueAnn) Donaldson of Mesa, AZ, Krystal (Chuck) Bassett of Phoenix, AZ, and Karson (Becky) Donaldson of Mesa AZ, 29 Grandchildren, 34 Great-Grandchildren, 2 1/2 Great-Great-Grandchildren, and her siblings Gene (Suzanne) Lines of Mesa, AZ, David Lines, and Edna Pacheco both of Queen Creek, AZ, and her sister-in-law Lucynthia Knudsen of Albuquerque, NM. Jo was preceded in death by her parents LaVar & Emma Lines, her brother Farrell Lines, her son-in-law Randy Lucas, her granddaughter Sage Donaldson, and her great-great-granddaughter Paisley Jade Stailey. Services will be held in San Manuel on Saturday, August 7, 2021, beginning with a viewing at 9:30 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be in the Virden Cemetery on Saturday the 7th at 5:00 p.m. For those unable to attend the services, they will be aired on Facebook Live. Sign on to your Facebook account and locate the McDougal's Caldwell Funeral Chapel page, "Like" the page, and 5 to 10 minutes prior to the funeral service beginning you'll see the services. Arrangements are being cared for by McDougal's Caldwell Funeral Chapel located at 112 E. Main Street, Safford, Arizona 85546, 928-428-1740, www.caldwellfuneralchapel.com.