Joanna Kirkendall

JOANNA “JO JO” CLARICE NANCE KIRKENDALL, age 63 passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, August 11, 2022 in Hendersonville, TN.
Joanna was born on March 6, 1959 in New Albany, Mississippi to the late John Nance and Joyce Hamrick Cooper Nance. In addition to her father and mother, Joanna is preceded in death by her step(bonus)-mother, Geneva Nance , and eldest daughter, Serena Elise Pannell (April 17, 1979).
She retired from various industries including Textiles and Tool Room Management. She held two degrees, one a Bachelor’s of Arts and the other a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. Her interests included photography, the outdoors, all things art, traveling with her husband, cooking, sewing, and most of all her family. Joanna spent her days finding inspiration from the world around her for both her art and her happiness. She spent many hours in the garage, truly her studio, creating masterpieces that the world will treasure forever. Faithfully by her side was her adored Mother-in-Love: Barbara Kirkendall, her husband, and the coolest cat, Patches.
She is survived by her beloved husband, soulmate, and best friend, Jeffrey Allen Kirkendall; her three children, Richard Pannell (Brittney Woolley-Pannell), Valerie Kelly (Shon Kelly), and Robert Joseph Pannell (Jessica Pannell); two bonus daughters, Danielle Little (Barry Little) and Amber Fish (TJ Fish), her 17 grandchildren, and 3 (soon to be 4) great grandchildren; her siblings: John Nance, Richard Nance, Joyce Miller, Kathryn Tyer, and Ashley Gooch. In addition to her birth and married family Joanna is also survived by her many “road children”. These are the people who became family that she met in her travels around the country. To these “children” and many others she will always be “Momma Jo”.
Joanna’s spirit of giving, tiding, and making the world a better place around her made her the most generous person you’ll ever meet. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Joanna’s name to:
McDowell Missionaries: https://mcdowellmissionministries.org/donate
Nashville Rescue Mission:
https://nashvillerescuemission.org/ways-to-give/donate-now/