DEMMOND — Josephine Acton Keeter Demmond, 92, went to be with the Lord on Oct. 30, 2022.
She wore many hats in her lifetime: a beloved wife, mother of four, grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of six and two-time survivor of breast cancer.
Jo was born Feb. 8, 1930, in Savannah, Ga., and attended Savannah High School and summer classes at Armstrong College while living in Savannah. She also attended the University of Georgia, where she got her taste of drama and theater. Jo was a principal actor for The Academy Theatre of Atlanta for many years, and acted in local commercials. She finished her B.A. in teaching, a Master’s Degree in education and a Ph.D. in Dramatic Techniques in the Classroom later in life at Georgia State University while she lived in Atlanta.
Often called “Doc Jo” by those who loved her as a teacher in Fulton County, Camden County and Glynn County, Ga., she has many beloved students who kept in touch through Facebook, Christmas cards, visits and phone calls. She taught for more than 30 years. While living in Camden County, Jo helped to develop a Community Theatre called Crooked Rivers, where she directed, wrote and even acted in the productions. She was also a member of Kingsland First United Methodist Church and often participated in church dramas and dramatic readings. Jo was a seasoned traveler throughout her lifetime. She visited Greece, Turkey, the Holy Land, Japan and even taught English in China for a semester.
Jo is survived by her four children, Edward Carson Demmond III (Trey), Jonathan Knox Demmond (Knox), Julia Freeman Bettis and Jane Demmond Seaman, as well as eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She will be buried in the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah at the Demmond family plot.
Visitation and memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at Bonaventure Funeral Home Chapel in Savannah, Ga. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to Susan Komen Breast Cancer Research, your local community drama/arts venue or United Methodist Children’s Home.