Joanne George Anderson

Joanne George Anderson, 78, passed away peacefully at her home after a long battle with ovarian cancer, on Monday, January 19th in Ocean Springs, MS. Born in 1942, Joanne was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. JB George, Sr. of Pascagoula, MS. She attended Our Lady of Victories Catholic School in Pascagoula, and later graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism; class of 1964. 

Joanne led an extremely colorful and accomplished life. When she was 12 years old, she founded, published and edited her own newspaper called The Weekly Express. In 1955, her mother, Norma, entered her in a national competition called the “Your Child’s Dream” contest on the national show “Welcome Travelers.” Joanne won and went on a trip with her mother to appear on the show in Chicago. Joanne got to interview the mayor, Richard Daily, in Chicago and went on to Washington DC where she met and interviewed foreign correspondent, Maggie Higgins. Also, as part of the show, she received an upgraded printing press called a Model 70 Conqueror Spirit Duplicator. This allowed her to quickly grow her business and hire extra reporters, sales children, and a delivery boy.  She and her mother were entertained at the famous “Pump Room” and were treated as royalty the whole week.

During Joanne’s senior year of high school, she felt she had a calling to enter the convent to become a Catholic Nun. She joined the “Sisters of Charity” Order in Lafayette Louisiana. Joanne spent almost a year there before she decided that she really wanted to eventually marry and have a family. She went on to college at the University of Southern MS and from there, Joanne went to Los Angeles California where she was the women’s editor for Copely News in Glendale California. She had an LA County “press pass” and met many celebrities including Steve McQueen, Rock Hudson and Mickey Rooney.

Joanne returned to Mississippi in 1968 where she met and married her husband, DL “Chic” Anderson. They were married for 40 years. Chic had been previously widowed and had three children that Joanne helped raise, and together as a couple, they had 2 more children. Joanne’s many career accomplishments along the years include:  reporter for the Chronical Star in Pascagoula (under editor Ira Harkey); editor of the Ingalls News in the 1960’s; writer for the MS Press -1970’s through recently-writing a weekly historical column; and Public Relations Director for Jackson County in the early 2000’s.  As a final stroke of the pen, Joanne was honored to have written the epilogue to: On Eagles’ Wings, the 2008 autobiography of Ingalls Shipbuilding President, Jerry St. Pe.

Joanne has served as past president and board member of the Pascagoula Library System, and President and board member of the Jackson County Historical Society, where she was instrumental in ushering the Singing River Genealogy and Local History Branch into the digital era. She has been the editor for the JCGHS Journal for several years as well.

Joanne was best known for her contagious smile and sense of humor. Her grief recovery group that she attended after her husband passed away, said that there were not many tears shed at their meetings because Joanne always had a great joke and a positive message! She had a deep love for animals, especially horses, which began early in her life. In her last hours, she could not stop talking about the horses she had as a child. Her two rescue dogs, Lady and Penny, (and rescue cat, Morris) were by her side until the very end. 

Joanne is survived by her wonderful and faithful siblings, Mrs. Peggy Baker (Roy), Mr. JB George, Jr., Mrs. Kathleen Parker (Roger), Mrs. Carole Griffin (Gary), and Dr. Eric George (Monica). Her devoted children, Dr. Ted Anderson (Cindy), Mr. Ken Anderson (Steve), Ms. Tamara Anderson, Mrs. Leslie Suit (Achim), and Ms. Catherine Anderson. Grandchildren, Stephanie McDonald (Chris), Matthew Johnson (Kristen), Allison Williams (Wade), Ian Anderson (Fina), and Tanner Blacklidge (Savannah), and many great grandchildren.

Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2021, 11:00am, at First United Methodist Church in Pascagoula.  Friends may visit from 10:00-11:00am at the church.

Following the Memorial Service, committal service will be held at Machpelah Cemetery in Pascagoula.  Due to COVID-19 concerns, facial masks will need to be worn and social distancing necessary. 

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