Josalyn Poole

Josalyn Poole, 82, of Waco passed away on Monday, April 13, 2015.

Memorial Service: 11:30 AM, Friday, April 17, at First Baptist Church, China Spring, with Rev. Mike Copeland officiating.

Josalyn was born on January 10, 1933 to Brice and Opal (Doherty) Jenkins in Greenville, TX. She married Tom Reed Poole, Jr. on July 22, 1950. They had two children, Julie and Reed (Tom Reed Poole, III). The Pooles were publishers of two weekly newspapers, The Famersville Times and The Princeton Herald, until Tom died in 1990.

Jo was a singer extraordinaire. She began singing publicly at the age of 12. She sang at churches, Rotary and Lions Clubs, and weddings. She had a full music scholarship to Baylor University, but chose instead to marry Tom Reed Poole, Jr., whom she had met working at The Greenville Herald Banner, which was owned by the Poole family. After living in Ft. Worth and Longview, the Pooles settled in Farmersville where they published and edited The Farmersville Times and The Princeton Herald with Tom’s brother, Bob.

Jo was a wonderful cook, decorator and gardener. She leaves many friends who love her dearly. At the time of her death, she was a member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband, Tom, who died in 1990.

Survivors include her two children, Julie Poole Copeland and husband, Mike of Waco and Reed Poole and wife, Laura, also of Waco; five grandchildren, Cody Copeland of Austin, Collin Copeland of Lubbock, John Copeland of Austin, Meggie Copeland of Waco, and Erin Copeland of Waco; sisters, Judy Owens and husband, David of Plano and Nancy Lane of Redlands, California; four nephews, Mark, Greg, Mike and Neal; and niece, Scherry.

Memorials may be made to either Columbus Avenue Baptist Church of Waco or First Baptist Church of China Spring.

Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online Guest Book at www.LakeShoreFuneralHome.com.