Jo-Lynne Worley
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On February 21, 2022, Jo-Lynne Worley, surrounded by loving family and friends, left this earth, succumbing to an aggressive, undetected infection that overwhelmed her immune system.
Jo-Lynne’s fearless fight to regain her active life after unrelenting orthopedic challenges, was in a word, inspiring. Having achieved her goal of walking 10,000 steps a day, it was easy to believe she was going to be with us quite a while longer. A force of nature, and much like the Rock of Gibraltar, Jo-Lynne was a guiding and inspiring figure in the lives of those fortunate to know her and to receive her unconditional love and support. With an unwavering confidence in her point of view, Jo-Lynne drew others to her. She was a shelter in the storm for many, a springboard of encouragement guiding so many friends, colleagues, and family members, to think positively about their lives, their hopes, their dreams.
Jo-Lynne started life in this world with her parents Dr. Jo (Josephine Ensley) and Dr. Williams Craig Worley on September 2, 1948. Her parents preceded her in death. Jo-Lynne is survived by her wife, partner, and companion, Joanie Shoemaker; her sister, Karen Evans, and many cousins; her first husband Peter C. Petersen (Sheri and Sean); her brother-in-law Phil Shoemaker (Caryl Goodyear); nephew Tanner Shoemaker (Krysten and Jrue); and loving friends who miss this remarkable and invincible friend.
Five years ago, Jo-Lynne and Joanie celebrated 40 years together with friends and family. They became life partners in 1976 and were married in Santa Fe, NM, in 2014.
Jo-Lynne graduated high school from The Barstow School and received a BA degree in Marine Biology from the University of the Pacific and continued her education through coursework from Berkeley and Stanford in CA, and the University of Kansas.
She built a career that included creativity, passion and supporting voices that matter. Beginning with managing the New Earth Bookstore in Kansas City with Joanie, she helped form a national and international women’s music network that gave voice to many talented women and linked them to a supportive and grateful audience. As CEO of Redwood Records in Northern California, she helped develop it into a multi-artist label. She traveled extensively, to most cities, states, and continents, with singer-songwriter Holly Near and author-psychologist Harriet Lerner. Upon relocating to Kansas City, in part to be near aging parents, Jo-Lynne and Joanie opened Worley Shoemaker Literary Management. Among the artists they managed, represented, launched, or accelerated in addition to Lerner, are Susie Bright, Jenny Kostecki-Shaw, Esther Perel, Brené Brown, Sandra Joseph, Diana Kander, Janine Shepherd, and Sue Katz.
Jo-Lynne’s life was filled with wonderful experiences fueled by her adventurous soul, generous spirit, and sharp intellect. She was an avid reader (member of two book groups), researcher, traveler, activist, a creative and versatile chef (altering recipes, always improving them), and a wine connoisseur with a wicked/dry sense of humor and robust laugh. Through her community of like-minded friends, Jo-Lynne actively contributed and supported a chorus of people whose lives she touched by challenging and encouraging them, often at the head of the table and holding court.
Since Jo-Lynne vanished from our sight, we have gathered to seek refuge in our shared memories, in our love and respect for such a remarkable woman.
She will be dearly missed and always remembered.
Jo-Lynne’s life will be celebrated in many ways, including a bonfire on April 9 and a connecting link to all parts of her life June 18. Ask for details: joanie.shoemaker@yahoo.com. Attached is a video from a celebration on February 27 at our home.
Memorial donations can be sent to any of the organizations that were important to Jo-Lynne: The World Central Kitchen, KCUR-FM radio, Planned Parenthood, Doctors Without Borders, The Rose Garden at Loose Park, The Midwest Innocence Project, and the U.S. Forest Service Plant-A-Tree Program.
View friend tributes and remembrances from an impromptu gathering.
Visits: 21
My heart goes out to you Joanie, and to all friends of Jo Lynn, who are an inspired many. We share a grief as well as inspiration for a truly amazingly full, joyful, creative, and yes wickedly witty woman. Oh how I remember that always amazing sense of inspired laughter and humorous awareness. I haven’t had a chance to see you for a long time Jo Lynn, but I will miss your beautiful presence in our world. And your memories will endure. Perhaps even more so now.
Blessed peace.
Ron
Dear Joanie.
I am so sorry for you to have lost your dear soul mate and beloved spouse and companion of so many years. You two were a very special and wonderfully unique team. My most sincere prayers for you.
Jo-Lynne’s obituary is lovely especially given how difficult it is to capture a person’s spirits in mere words, however well expressed.
It has been a privilege to know Jo-Lynne and to have been blessed with times with her, which while some years ago, are still very present in my mind and heart. I take comfort in having shared challenging and rewarding experiences with you both, and consider them touchstones in my many life experiences. All my best.
Dear Joanie,
I am heartbroken, along with the whole community, to learn of Jo-Lynne’s passing. It is impossible to believe someone with so much life, energy, and intelligence is gone. A light has gone out in this world.
Jo-Lynne was a remarkable person who touched so many lives, including mine. I will always remember her beautiful, sometimes naughty, laugh, her kindness and helpfulness and her enormous feeling for humanity, which she totally embraced. When you were with her it was like the world was giving you a big, warm hug.
May you be surrounded by your many friends during this time of grief. I will think of you daily, hoping life will send you comfort and peace.
Much love ~
Dear Joanie, my deepest condolences for the loss of Jo-Lynne. She was a beacon of goodness in the world. We will never forget her. Love and prayers for you. Know that you and she are held in our hearts.
Dear Cousin Joanie, I am so sorry to read about the loss of Jo-Lynne! I knew who she was, but I really found out who she was by what was written about her! I wish I had known her better. This comes not too long after the loss of your wonderful mother, Marge! My prayers are with you at this time of grieving! Love and hugs! Mary Rae
Joanie and Karen:
Deepest sympathy to you both on the sudden passing of Jo-Lynne. My prayers are with you during this difficult time for God’s comfort and peace. The beautiful memorial that was written about her speaks volumes to the wonderful person she was. I have fond memories of the times we spent with you all at family gatherings in Kansas. Jo-Lynne will be missed by many family, friends and colleagues.
Our sincere condolences to you, Joanie. Memories of Jo-Lynne are bright spots in our past. May the many memories of her love, support and companionship carry you forward.
Like my sister, Miriam, I was fortunate to know Jo-Lynn. Though I knew her for only a short time, I’m extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to know such a warm, kind, generous, fun person. She had a life truly well-lived. I hope Joanie finds a lot of peace in knowing what a wonderful partner she was to Jo-Lynn.
Hi Joanie,
I’m so sorry to hear about Jo-Lynne. Holly posted something on Facebook just a few days ago. I did not realize that she passed over a month ago. May her memory be a blessing.
You probably don’t remember me all these years later, but I remember you and Jo-Lynne, as I was, in retrospect, so in way over my head trying to get Holly to come to Wesleyan in 1981 to perform at a conference on Social Ecology, and how your book “Making a Show of it” was invaluable to us in our efforts.
I remember calling you, breathlessly, an excited 20 year-old, to let you know that I just saw the Weavers at Carnegie Hall, and they had sung two of Holly’s songs! I was so naive. Of course you knew this already, long before the concert. Holly was recording “Fire in the Rain” at the time.
A year later, you and Jo-Lynne came to NYC with Holly for the June 12th, 1982 Disarmament Rally in Central Park. The night before Holly had a gig in the Village at a club. I introduced myself to you. You introduced me to Jo-Lynne. You both took me inside and introduced me to Ronnie Gilbert, sitting at a table before the show by the stage, where she would surprise the rest of the audience by singing a few songs with Holly, not long before the album “Lifeline” would come out. That is likely the only time we met in person, but I enjoyed staying in touch with you all for a while.
The last correspondence I got from Jo-Lynne was while Holly was working on her musical in 1993. I still have the letter, on Jo-Lynne Worley stationary, typed, in the days before email. Susan Freundlich was running Redwood, and Jo-Lynne shared with me how difficult things were getting for independent music labels.
I cherish the correspondence I had with you, Jo-Lynne and Holly over the years, until we lost touch as Redwood went under, and as you and Jo-Lynne went on to other things.
A few years later my accounting office moved into the office building Hal Leventhal worked in, and I told him in the elevator one day of how you two introduced me to Ronnie at that club.
Sweet memories for me. And so sad to hear of the loss of your partner. I remember her as I remember you, still — as a tough, smart, compassionate businesswoman who cared about the important things.
She will be missed…
Thinking of you after all these years,
David Block