Jo Anne French Eynon, 86, of Sterling, VA passed away Sunday, April 28, 2019 at Blue Ridge Hospice in Winchester, VA.  Jo Anne, the daughter of Roy Leander French and Freda Flake Coker, was born in North Carrollton, MS on August 23, 1932.  She was raised and attended school in Coffeeville, MS.

After graduation from high school, Jo Anne and a friend applied to be airline stewardesses and began training in Kansas City, MO.  After a short while, the girls became homesick and returned to Coffeeville.  Jo Anne soon began work for the Southern Bell Company in Memphis, TN. The need for secretaries in the post-war government brought her to Washington, DC, where she worked for the Naval Research Laboratory and the Bureau of Ships. She met and married Raymond Eynon in 1953.  They had three daughters having homes located in Washington, Oxon Hill, Suitland, and finally Sterling. Jo Anne was a stay at home mother for many years while her daughters were growing up.  She later returned to the workforce, taking a job with Loudoun County's Department of Social Services.  She finished her career at the David Taylor Model Basin, retiring in 1994. After retirement she took a part time job with American Greeting Cards which she enjoyed with her good friend, Donna.

Jo Anne was a longtime member of the Sterling United Methodist Church and enjoyed bowling in their league.  She enjoyed movies, her favorite being "Gone With The Wind."  She loved music by Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.  Jo Anne tackled many home improvement projects, becoming quite skilled at painting and wallpapering.  She liked going to her children's events and extracurricular activities and, later, those of her grandchildren.  She was a Redskins fan and enjoyed watching baseball, golf, and tennis.  Her favorite vacation time was at the beach.

Jo Anne was pre-deceased by her parents, her beloved brothers Kenneth and Roy Lynn, and former husband, Raymond Eynon.  She is survived by her brother David and his wife Loretta, sisters Kay Rodick and Kathryn French, sisters-in-law Pauline French and Sharon French, daughters Carol Peters (Brooks) of Sterling, VA, Susan Holfman (Sandy) of Harpers Ferry, WV, and Lisa Wadsworth (Larry) of Thompson Falls, MT; grandchildren Shawn Richardson (Christie), Brian Peters (Alison), Nick Peters (Ashley), Michele Lemieux (Chris), Kelli Guthrie (Donnie), Ricky Andersen (Tanya), Michael Grammo (LeAnne), Jessica Wadsworth, Emily Trimino (Chris), and Gregory Wadsworth; and eleven great-grandchildren: Leah, Noah, Wesley, Jackson, Lauren, Adrian, Emma, Luke, Abel, Tyler, and Preston.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 1, from 6-8 PM at the Colonial Funeral Home, Leesburg, VA.  The funeral will be held on Thursday, May 2 at the Sterling United Methodist Church, 304 East Church Street, Sterling, VA, with visitation at 1 PM and the service at 2 PM.

Funeral arrangements are in the care of the Colonial Funeral Home, 201 Edwards Ferry Rd NE, Leesburg, VA 20176.