Jo Ann Peterson

Jo Ann Peterson passed on to the purely spiritual level on December 11, following a courageous battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Jo Ann was born and raised in east Texas where she graduated from Jacksonville High School and attended Lon Morris College and North Texas State. Her love for art and drama began in high school where she won Best Actress awards and she continued her acting during her years at college. After she married Michael Peterson in 1964, they began a series of life changing moves with the military that included 2 separate assignments to Germany, and assignments to bases in Massachusetts, Arizona, California, North Carolina, and Maryland. During these years she remained active in theater and art. Her time in Germany included many trips throughout Europe and North Africa. Her daughter Kristen was born in Fayetteville during their assignment to Ft. Bragg in 1971. Following divorce in 1979 she spent several years as a single parent living in Columbia, MD where she worked for a medical equipment company and served as Sales Manager for the Johns Hopkins University Press. In 1988 she married William (Bill) Mosher and moved with him to Northern Virginia and then to Raleigh, NC in 1992. While living in the Washington/Baltimore area, she attended the Maryland Institute of Art and George Mason University, and took art classes at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA. Her career as an artist blossomed after moving to Raleigh and included teaching colored pencil drawing at Sertoma Art Center and creating drawings and paintings at studios in the Cotton Company and Sunflower Studios in Wake Forest. Her time as student, teacher, and artist connected her with many dear friends. Jo Ann was a talented artist who was influenced by her small-town roots and world travels. Her eye for colors and detail were impeccable and resulted in such realistic drawings that were often thought to be photographs. Her paintings and drawings were bright and colorful and reflected her love of family, nature, and animals. Jo Ann was a red-haired beauty with a keen intellect, witty humor, and a sense of style. She had a warm smile and loving heart and was fearless in her protection of people, animals, and places that she loved. Her calm demeanor, courage, and inner strength were an inspiration to those around her, especially during recent years of declining health. Although unable to speak or write in recent years, she radiated patience, love, and a sense of humor until the end of her life. Jo Ann is survived by her best friend and loving husband Bill Mosher; daughter Kristen Condra and her husband Scott (Marietta, GA); stepsons Sean Nathan William Mosher and his wife Polly (Raleigh) and Ryan Michael Mosher and his wife Debbie (Salem, OR); brother Billy Ray Elsbury and his wife Carol (Magnolia, TX); nephew Kenneth Elsbury (Beeville, TX); and grandchildren Nathaniel Condra, Abbey Mosher, and Crysta Mosher. The family will be receiving visitors at Renaissance Funeral Home, 7615 Six Forks Road, Raleigh on Saturday, December 15 from 1:00 â€“ 3:00 pm. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 pm. The family gives special thanks to Ms. Aries Moore, who was Jo Annâ€™s effervescent and loving buddy and care-giver for the last 3 years of Jo Annâ€™s life. In lieu of flowers please send memorials to Heifer International through their website at www.heifer.org/give/registry. Click on Locate a Gift Registry and type in Jo Annâ€™s name.

Jo Ann Peterson

July 22, 1944 - December 11, 2012