Jo Ann Hamlin

Jo Ann Hamlin, 87 of Paola Kansas passed away peacefully on September 7, 2025. Jo Ann was born June 7, 1938, in Somerset, Kansas. She was one of ten children born to Claude and Clara (Smith) Taylor. She attended school in Somerset and graduated from Paola High School in 1956. Jo Ann met Harold Hamlin, and they were united in marriage on April 27th 1957, in Louisburg, Kansas. They celebrated 63 years of marriage before Harold’s death in 2020. Jo Ann and Harold had 3 children, Susan, Kathy, and Jeff.

When she graduated from high school she went to work for Hallmark Cards. When her children were little, she took in ironing and babysat in her home so she could care for her children. When Jeff went to school, she took a job at King Radio. She worked there for 19 years in various roles before opening Hamlin Rental with Harold and Jeff. She continued working until 2002, when they sold the business and retired. In retirement she and Harold spent time traveling. One of their favorite trips was to Alaska. She later became a foster grandparent at Sunflower Elementary. She loved interacting with the kids and continued until Harold’s health began to decline and she needed to provide him with more assistance.

Jo Ann was a kind, gentle, and loving woman whose greatest joy was her family. She loved playing games of any kind. Any time the family was together she was always playing some type of game with her daughters and grandchildren. She loved fishing. All the grandkids loved spending time with Grandma at the Lake House catching fish. She was supportive of her children and grandchildren and so proud of all their accomplishments. She was close with her brothers and sisters. They would often get together with their spouses and play cards.

Jo Ann is preceded in death by her husband, Harold, her parents, her brothers Albert, Dale, John, Robert, Claude, and George, her sisters Juanita, Clara, and Peggy: her brothers-in-law Merlin Reed, Bill Stiles, Tom Coddington, Dale Hamlin and Bud Gallagher: sisters-in-law Beverly Taylor, June Hamlin, and Pauline Gallagher: and one grandson Christopher. She is survived by her daughters Susan Dykes (Jeff), Kathy, and son Jeff (Michelle): her grandchildren Josh, Michael, Johna, Ryan, Aaron, Mandy, Erica, John and their spouses: her 20 great-grandchildren, and 7 great-great-grandchild; and her sister-in-law MaryAnn Taylor.

She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt. Her family has truly lost the most loving and wonderful soul. They will miss her deeply. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Paola. Memorials can be made to First Baptist Church Paola, KS. Special thanks to the staff at Wellsville Retirement Community for their loving care.

Graveside Services will be on Thursday, September 11, 2025, beginning at 10:00am at Somerset Cemetery.

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