JoAnn Adeline (Hutchinson) Wilcox

JoAnn Wilcox, 86, passed away peacefully at home on March 3, 2021 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.  A Celebration of her life will be held March 12th, 2021 at 11 AM at the Nampa First Church of the Nazarene, 601 16th Avenue South.  Private family burial will take place at the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Caldwell.  Services are under the direction of Nampa Funeral Home, 415 12th Avenue South, Nampa. (208-442-8171) In tribute to JoAnn, donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation at Parkinson.org can be made in lieu of flowers. An online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com.

JoAnn was born on April 19, 1934, in Randall, Kansas to Hosea Hezekiah Hutchison and Alice Letner Hutchison. When JoAnn was sixteen months old, her father died of Leukemia.  When she was four, her mother, a registered nurse, moved to Nampa, ID where she had a job waiting for her at the new Samaritan Hospital.  Shortly after moving to Nampa, her mother married Fred Dillon a widower from Kansas with three teenage children Loyd Dillon (Clara), Opal Dillon (Powell) and Betty Dillon (Stoops).  JoAnn attended Nampa public schools:  Roosevelt Elementary, Central Jr. High, and Nampa High School where she played the cello in the school orchestra.  She graduated from College High School on the NNC campus in 1952 where she was enrolled in College preparatory classes. After high school, JoAnn worked for one year before starting college as the receptionist/switchboard operator at the Amalgamated Sugar Company in Nampa.

In May, 1953, JoAnn married Roger Wilcox at College Church in Nampa, ID, a marriage that lasted for sixty-six years. While Roger was in the U.S. Air Force serving his country for four years, JoAnn returned home to attend college.  She graduated from NNU in 1957 with a BA (Magna Cum Laude) in Secondary Education and teaching fields in English and Business.  While in college she participated in many activities including President of the Associated Women Students, President of the Scribularus English Club, women’s tennis team, and intramural sports. After graduation, she moved with Roger to Denver, CO where he was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base.  In Denver, she worked for two years as an Administrative Assistant for the Samsonite Luggage Company. 

In her early years in Colorado and before starting a family, JoAnn enjoyed playing tennis and skiing the Colorado mountains.  She loved entertaining family and friends and was an active member of Denver First Church of the Nazarene.  

JoAnn started her educational career in the Littleton Public Schools teaching English at Littleton High School.  In 1963, she entered a Master’s Degree program at the University of Northern Colorado where she earned her Master’s in Psychology, Guidance and Counseling.  She spent the next twenty years as a high school counselor at Heritage High School in Littleton. 

In 1965 after twelve years of marriage, JoAnn and Roger were blessed with the births of Todd Randall Wilcox (1965) and Tricia Rochelle Wilcox (1970).  Her life was changed forever as she embraced her new parenting role by attending the church and school activities of two highly active children.  

After retiring from education JoAnn accepted a position as an Administrative Assistant with the Denver office of Metropolitan Life, a position she held for eight years.  In 1998 JoAnn and Roger retired and moved from Littleton, CO to Nampa, ID where they were able to spend more time with family and friends. She and Roger enjoyed playing bridge on a regular basis with Art and Ginger Shingler.  They were thrilled when Roger’s sister Roxanne Hines moved to Nampa in 2010 as they were able to spend time shopping and going out to lunch. JoAnn loved working in her yard and entertaining in her home.

JoAnn was an active member of Nampa First Church of the Nazarene and PEO until her Parkinson’s prevented her from participating on a regular basis.  After Roger’s passing JoAnn moved in with Tricia and her family.  She was a smart, kind and compassionate mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.  She will be dearly missed.

JoAnn is survived by her children, Todd Wilcox MD, Salt Lake City, UT and Tricia Garcia Col (ret) USAF, Meridian, ID; 5 Grandchildren, Caleigh, Quinn, Reid, Kyrie and Keylor and sister-in-law, Roxanne Hines, Nampa, ID.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Roger and her parents, Hosea Hutchison and Alice Hutchison Dillon.

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