Joann Cooley Brashers, 73, passed away on December 30, 2021. She was born in Batesville, AR, on February 25, 1948, to Joseph and Anna Mae Brooks Cooley.
Summing up the life of someone as wonderful as Joann is no easy task. She was the matriarch of her family and a beautiful soul. She was always there to care for her family and those she loved. She was also a caretaker of her husband Jimmy for over fifteen years.
She was a hard worker. She worked at the International Shoe Factory for twenty years and as a custodian at Lyon College for twenty years. During her free time, she enjoyed going to yard sales, junking, gardening, canning, and sewing. But most of all she loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend whose memory will forever be cherished by those that loved her.
She is survived by her daughter, Margaret Freeman (Freddie) of Batesville; brother, Larry Cooley (Marilyn) of Mount Pleasant; sisters, Geraldine Holt (David) of Batesville, Agness Ingram (William) of Bethesda, Linda Copeland (Larry) of Las Vegas, Nevada, Pat Sifford of Cave City, Mary Weaver (Terry) of Magness, Terri Rudd (Jim) of Magness, and Lisa Cooley of Bethesda; grandchildren, Autumn Jones (Jason) of Batesville, Tyler Harmon of Denver, Colorado, JB Brashers (Haley) of Batesville, and Jodi Beth Brashers of Batesville; great-grandchildren, Ian Jones, Eli Jones, and Cooper Joe Brashers. She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Jimmy Gene Brashers; son, Eric Brashers; parents, Joseph Otto Cooley and Anna Mae Brooks Cooley; brother, Leroy Cooley; sister, Carolyn Cooley Brown; nephew, Andrew Rudd; niece, Sydney Rudd; grandparents, Effie Myrle Weatherford Brooks and Jasper Warren Brooks, Jessie Benjamin Cooley and Lizzie Beth Colburn Cooley; and brother-in-law, Terry Weaver.
A visitation will be held at Willis Funeral Service on Monday, January 3, 2022, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The funeral service, officiated by Larry Sellars, will follow the visitation starting at 2 p.m. Interment will be at Bethesda Campground Cemetery.
