Jo Alice Rember's Obituary
Jo Alice Vickrey Rember, 86, passed away March 22nd in Weatherford, Texas. Born in Dallas, at Florence Nightingale Hospital, on May 6th, 1939, the first child of Richard Ramsay Vickrey and Laura Luddie Johnson Vickrey. She grew up in the family home at the corner of Hall Street and Turtle Creek. From an early Dallas family, Jo Alice’s great-grandfather owned a wagon yard where Dealey Plaza stands today.
A graduate of North Dallas High School, Jo attended Texas Tech University. Shortly after her return to Dallas, Jo’s lifelong path as a devoted and compassionate Catholic solidified. It was also at that time that Jo began in earnest her volunteer and service work. She was particularly active in The Society for Abandoned and Neglected Children, (SANC), and served as president of the organization’s Dallas chapter. Jo Alice’s interest in professional pursuits resulted in her being posted to a secretarial position in the office of a young pathologist, Dr. Robert Rember. It was an excellent fit, and they were married shortly after in 1964, and made Dallas their home. Bob’s son Lawrence completed their threesome, and Jo was a loving and joyful stepmother. In 1968 her son Craig was born, and son Casey arrived two years later. Jo reveled in her boys and took great delight in all of their early activities and interests. During the 1970’s, Jo Alice thrived as an early learning teacher at the Ursuline School of Dallas, and those years proved to be the highlight and perfect alchemy of both her service and professional life. In 1979, Bob accepted the position of Head of Pathology at Malone Hogan Hospital in Big Spring, and the family followed. Jo Alice made West Texas home and became involved with the Garden Club of Big Spring and its endeavors and looked forward to traveling to Cloudcroft, NM each summer to attend resident painting seminars with her dear friend Bobbie Wooten. A move to Fort Worth after Bob’s retirement, and his establishment of a private pathology lab there, began Jo Alice’s decades-long tenure as a member the Saint Francis Village community. Jo continued to make Saint Francis her home after Bob’s passing in 2001, and her Catholic community there were a great comfort and joy during those years. Friendships that she forged there would continue to sustain Jo to the end of her life. In her last days she was under the care and attention of her nursing home staff whom she entertained and touched especially with her kindness, wry humor, and insightful knowledge and understanding of the Bible.
Books and reading, art, deep spirituality, compassion for the unfortunate, and beauty in all forms defined Jo Alice. To all who knew her she was an excellent conversationalist on any topic and always gracious hostess. A caring and generous heart was at her core and how she will be remembered by all who knew and loved her.
Jo Alice is survived by her two sons, Craig Rember, (Rachel) of Fort Worth and Casey Rember (Christy) of New Braunfels; brother, James Richard Vickrey; sister, Barbara Vickrey Avery; granddaughters, Vivian Rose Rember and Mallory Jo Rember; cousins, Nancy Rhodes of Tyler, Paula Casey of Dallas. Jo was a doting and beloved aunt to her nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews who also survive her.
Preceding Jo Alice in death, her husband, Dr. Robert Rember, parents Richard and Lura Vickrey, brother Robert Vickrey, and stepson Lawrence Rember.
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