Dates
Billie “Jo” Runnels Hoover, 94, gained her brilliantly colored angel wings on September 11, 2025, and went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus.
Jo was born to Lucille and Jack Runnels on March 28, 1931, in San Angelo, Texas. Jack passed away when she was 5 years old. Her Mom remarried and Ike Verfuth became her stepfather.
On February 22, 1947, Jo married J.W. Hoover, and they remained in San Angelo for their 57 years together. He preceded her in death on March 27, 2004. Their love and life together was a true testament to their children, coworkers, family and friends.
Preceding her in death was her husband, J.W., her parents, and her sisters Nina Mapson and Margaret Herron.
Jo was an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church for 89 years. J.W. and Jo brought their 2 children up in church and shared wonderful, fun-filled vacations with other church families over the years. She loved her Sunday school class, sang in the church choir for many years, and participated in any activity at church having to do with preparing food or decorating tables for events.
Jo worked at San Angelo Central High as an aide with the special needs students in The Cottage and retired from SAISD.
When she moved to Baptist Memorial she began to volunteer at the thrift store there. Jo delighted in finding new treasures and trading in the previously found ones in the thrift store and brought them home every chance she had. She volunteered over 4000 hours at the thrift store and assisted with estate sales in the Baptist Memorial community.
She loved gardening and had beautiful flowers in each home anywhere she lived. She enjoyed cooking for any occasion and her guests were always treated to a delicious meal or dessert made with love. Every room in her home had a vivid accent wall and she added pictures or items that pulled the room together, so it was just how she liked it. This was also evident in her clothing and jewelry choices, and she was always “dressed to the nines”. She took great pride in decorating her home with as many trinkets, pictures and collections as she could to make it warm, inviting and homey to welcome visitors.
Jo always went out of her way to have little surprises and gifts for all her family and friends. Many times, these presents were homemade whether it was a jar of pickles, hand lotion or a favorite candy.
Jo was an accomplished seamstress. She sewed her daughter’s clothing for many years. When she moved to Brayden Park she would mend or hem the staff’s clothing for them whenever asked as she was always willing to help when needed.
No one can ever say Jo did not enjoy the holidays and she gladly took any chance to decorate for an occasion. Her home was filled with closets full of necessary embellishments to make every holiday and change of season brighter and more beautiful.
Jo is survived by her son, Jay Don Hoover and his wife Gail; grandchildren, Sydney, Hayley and Jaxon Bobholz of San Angelo; Jay’s adopted-in-love granddaughter, Jackie Beezley, and husband Andrew and their children Addison and Bryson of Leander, Texas; grandchildren by marriage Katie, Andrew and Brendan Griffin of San Angelo; daughter, Lesa Cochrane and Dick Thomas; granddaughter, Kimberly Fuchs and her husband Andrew, as well as their children Nolan, Archer and Holland of San Antonio, Texas. Also special to Jo were her nieces Pam (Bubba) Dunn, Penny (Guy) Slayton, and great niece, Missy (Jeff) Willis and nephew Royce Powell. She is also survived by her very special friend, Susan Creel, who spent countless hours with Jo by visiting, going to movies, enjoying meals together and just being her very best friend.
Jo’s celebration of life will be held on Monday, September 15, 2025, at Johnsons Funeral Home Chapel in San Angelo. Interment will immediately follow at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens. The chaplain from Concho Hearts Hospice, Russ Frazier, will officiate the service.
Pall Bearers will be Robert Baxter, Gary Heumier, Guy Slayton, Steve Hoover, Garland McDaniel and Jimmy Gardner.
The family would like to thank the staff at Brayden Park for the friendship and love shown to Jo over the last 4 years. Special thanks to Sadie and the nurses at Concho Hearts Hospice, your sincere care and devotion meant so much to Jo and her family.