Ek, Joleta (Jo) Haney

Joleta (Jo) Haney Ek, 62, of Allen, Texas, passed away peacefully on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, after a long illness.

Formerly of Cedar Rapids, she was born in Dill City, Okla. She is survived by Gayne, her husband of 41 years; her sister, Rhonda Ledbetter; her mother, Wanda Haney; three stepchildren, Gil Ek of McKinney, Texas, Cindy Ek and Cheri Ek Rizer of Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many cousins, aunts and uncles.

Jo received her Bachelor's degree in Business from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After a successful business career at Rockwell International, ending as an assistant to a division president, Jo, who had always loved little children, involved herself in several children's charities, including the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County, Child Abuse Prevention Center of Dallas, the Dallas Opera children's program and Children's Medical Center at Legacy in Plano.

Jo enjoyed cooking, quilting, entertaining, gardening and spending time with her grandbabies. She had a brilliant mind, gentle spirit and lived a life of service, volunteering for those organizations close to her heart. She had a heart of gold and was always a shining light to those around her. She was an avid reader, Russian history enthusiast and loved traveling to the places she had always read about as a young girl. Jo was a wonderful wife, daughter, stepmother, sister and friend and left an indelible mark upon those around her. She will be sorely missed but her spirit lives on within us forever.

A “Celebration of Life” service is planned for 4 p.m. Saturday Feb, 18, at Preston Meadow Lutheran Church, 6801 Coit Rd., Plano, TX 75024.

In lieu of flowers, friends are requested to make a contribution to a child related charity or to the Joleta Ek Memorial Fund at Preston Meadow Lutheran Church which will be distributed to such charities.

Published in The Gazette Feb. 15, 2012.