Jamerson, Wilda O’Dell

Wilda Jo Ann Jamerson found her final place with the Lord on October 29th,2021. She left this world to be in heaven at 3:09 p.m., in her home surrounded by her family. She was born on February 28th, 1934, on a leap year, in Grayson county, which is a rural area in the Blue Ridge mountain range of southwest Virginia. Her family resided in Pulaski county where they established their life.

She has been preceded in death by her father; Harry Edwin O’Dell and her mother; Virginia Eunice O’Dell and two of her brothers, Vernon Edwin “Eddie” O’Dell and Danny Reginald “Reggie” O’Dell. She is succeeded in life by her oldest living brother; Noel Elroy O’Dell and younger sister; Sonya Loy O’Dell Allison, brother; Ranny Elwood O’Dell and the youngest; Gary Byron O’Dell.

Jo Ann graduated from Draper High School and attended Radford college and then nursing school until she obtained her Registered Nursing License in three states Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia. Soon after school Wilda Jo Ann O’Dell married Herman Knight Jamerson while Herman was still in the army and stationed in San Antonio,Texas in 1958. After their completion of service in the army the couple moved to Henrico, Virginia with their first born child Joni Fa Non. Jo Ann and Herman had four more children in the coming years and their names are Gregory Herman, Lisa Jo, Kerry Knight and Byron Dustin. Time moved forward and her grandchildren are Chad T. Rathbone, Paul Bronson Borrell, Annelise Fa Non Borrell, Kaleigh Alanna Mead, JoSarah Lloy Martin, Keri Dawn Jamerson and Benjamin Knight Jamerson. Jo Ann was blessed again with her first great grandchild Odithian Mead.

She lived to be 87 years old and was a loving mother, wife, grandmother and great grandmother. Jo Ann has been married to Herman K. Jamerson for 63 wonderful years. Jo Ann came from humble beginnings to work her way up in her chosen career of a Registered Labor and Delivery Nurse. Working at Richmond Memorial Hospital where she was affectionately known as “Jamie”, for 40 rigorous years of her 47 year career. And during that time she had delivered a few babies because the doctor did not arrive in time.

She was a strong woman of faith attending church every chance she got and wherever she was, even when travelling on family vacations. Her heart was in her home church at Meadowood Church of God where she regularly attended since even before the doors opened in 1969. There she was known as “Grandma J”, Church Mother and Mother of prayer.

Jo Ann loved picking her own fruits and vegetables, canning them with her skilled and masterful hands usually late at night. The field work always included her children working with Mom through briar patches, hot fields and shucking corn and teaching them the rewards of hard work. Just as much as Jo Ann enjoyed working hard she enjoyed travelling, camping, quilting, sewing and growing plants and flowers. Her home was adorned with roses by the porch for decades and then she incorporated her rose garden on the sunny side of the house.

She had travelled much of the continental United States on a magnificent family vacation visiting all natural wonders back in 1972. Her and her family were always travelling with a tow behind trailer and a station wagon to go to many many destinations. Her absolute favorite place to go was the beach. She could wade in the surf and have snacks from the cooler while sitting in her beach chair under her big brimmed hat blowing in the wind. She would enjoy watching her children and grandchildren play in the sand and surf the waves.

She had a great passion to see and experience as much of God’s creation as she could in her life. She had seen some of the greatest wonders on earth in her travels and gave all the glory to God. She always gave the glory to God and she will be sorely missed by us all, but we know that she is surely walking in heaven with Jesus through eternity.

Funeral schedule: The Wake will be from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 3 at Meadowood Church of God located at 325 Azalea Ave., Richmond, VA 23227. The graveside service will begin at Meadowood Church at 11:00 a.m. Nov. 4

Her final resting place on earth will be at Greenwood Memorial Park, 12609 Patterson Ave., Henrico, VA 23238.