Jo Folkman

JO FOLKMAN (nee Pribonic) age 72, beloved mother of Eric (wife Jennifer), Greta J. Lardomita (husband Charlie) and the late Matthew; loving grandmother of Matthew and Michael Folkman and Lilly Lardomita; cherished daughter of the late  Joseph and Denise (nee Flynn) Pribonic; dear sister, step-sister, cousin and friend of many.  Survived by her cherished canine companions Jerry and Sassy. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Jo’s memory to Geauga Humane Society Rescue Village, 15463 Chillicothe Rd. Novelty OH 44072.

Jo loved and cared for her family above anything else.  She always put the needs of her children and grandchildren before her own. She enjoyed treating her family to foods and drinks they liked, especially at Thanksgiving, which was her favorite holiday.  Every time we came to visit, she had a spread of cheeses, dips, chips, and veggies – all organic of course.

Jo was an incredibly talented artist, and she had a great eye for color combinations. She could see the abstract beauty in everything. She loved painting, crocheting, quilting, knitting, sewing and sculpting.  She would sometimes enter her work in art shows, but she usually preferred to keep the artwork at home to enjoy.  She always had several art projects going on at any given time.

She collected spoons from all over the world. It was an unwritten rule for the other family members to ask their friends who traveled, to bring back a spoon from wherever they went. She had ornate spoons from South America, the Middle East, and India to name a few locations.  In addition to collecting spoons, Jo also had an affection for cows.  She collected almost anything with a cow on it.  As a joke, her grandsons would buy the same cow collectable and greeting cards several years in a row.

Besides loving art, Jo was very fond of animals, especially her dogs Newman, Jerry, and Sassy.  She always had a couple cats, and she fed birds outside of her back porch.  Sometimes squirrels and raccoons would get into the porch. She never got upset, and she fed them, too.  She tried to draw the line with skunks, but her dogs would sometimes engage them – never with a good outcome!

After 20 years of employment, Jo retired from the health food store a few years ago. She decided to explore this thing called “the internet”, and became proficient at navigating it. She reconnected with old friends, but stopped at using credit cards over the internet.  In retirement, she also dedicated a tremendous amount of time to quilting. At the time of her passing, she was working several large quilts for her grandchildren.

At 72 years of age, Jo passed due to heart related issues. She had few regrets, and she enjoyed retirement more than she expected. Like most of us, her life was turbulent at times. However, she was an optimist, and she was always there when you needed her.

Cremation by DeJohn Crematory. Celebration of Life Service Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 2:30 PM at THE FUNERAL HOME. Family will receive friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Jo at THE DeJOHN FUNERAL HOME & CELEBRATIONS CENTER OF CHESTERLAND 12811 CHILLICOTHE ROAD (Rt. 306, just south of Mayfield Rd.)  SUNDAY 1-2:30 PM.