Jo Ella Maguffee
Jo Ella Maguffee, daughter of the late Thomas Jefferson and Lena Opal (Fudge) Shell, was born August 26, 1934, in Salem, Arkansas, and passed away on October 29, 2022, at her home in Arcadia, Missouri. She was 88 years, 2 months, and 3 days of age.
Jo graduated high school with the Salem, Arkansas, class of 1952. She was united in marriage to Jimmie Dale Maguffee on May 21, 1952, in Salem. Three children were born to this union.
Jo was a teacher at heart all of her life. She taught state school for one year and then Kindergarten and 2nd grade at Belleview while finishing her teaching degree. She finished her career teaching 1st grade at Arcadia Valley Elementary School and retired in 1998. She continued to teach everyday of her life by the example that she lived through her generous heart and kind spirit, sharing the love of Christ with everyone she encountered.
After retirement, Jo became a world traveler and visited many places with her cousin, sister and daughters. She was proud of the fact that she visited all 50 U.S. states. In her free time she enjoyed playing and watching golf on tv. She was also a big fan of watching her grandchildren play sports and was always quick to let the referees know when they made a mistake.
Jo was very strong in her faith. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Ironton where she attended and taught Sunday school, was active in G.R.O.W, P.V.S., and a long-time leader of AWANA. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much, she was their biggest fan, and greatly enjoyed time spent with them.
Besides her parents, Jo was preceded in death by her sisters, Charlene Collins and Joy Wood. Her husband, Jimmie Dale Maguffee and her son, Thomas Dean Maguffee. She is survived by her daughters, Tammie Scullin and her husband, John, of Desoto, Missouri, and Terri Walker and her husband, David, of Ironton, Missouri, five grandchildren, Kassie, Lindsey, Blake, Brock and Lucas and four great-grandchildren, Victoria, Annalise, Killian, and Isabella and many other relatives and friends who will miss her dearly.
Visitation was held on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at the First Baptist Church of Ironton. Celebration of Life was held on Wednesday, November 2, also at the First Baptist Church of Ironton. Interment will be at Arcadia Valley Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Ironton or American Cancer Society.
