Kathryn Joann Barmore's Obituary
Kathryn Joann Barmore, affectionately known as Jo, Joann, Mema Barn, or Pat’s Mom, peacefully left this world on October 14, 2024, at the age of 93. Born in Salina, Kansas, she made Clearwater, Florida, her home for 62 wonderful years. Clearwater may have been her address, but her heart lived wherever her people were.
Joann spent her life as a true homemaker, creating a space that was the ultimate soft place to land, not because it was spotless but because Joann always ensured there was room at her table for everyone to feel welcome, heard, and loved, adopting many as her own family. If you loved someone, she loved them too—no questions asked.
Life wasn’t always easy for Jo. She survived the Great Depression, lost her father young, and found herself caring for her siblings while her mother worked. These early hardships shaped her into a woman who refused to be knocked down. She knew how fragile life could be, but instead of living in fear, she embraced joy, adventure, and deep connections with others.
She married the love of her life, Jack Barmore, in 1949. During those early years, she raised her rambunctious Irish twin boys and sweet little girl and moved around wherever her brilliant husband’s career took them, from the sand storms in Nevada to the sandy beaches of Florida.
Her middle years anchored her to a circle of girlfriends, marked by weekly bowling with “The Honeybees” and lunching with “The Lunch Bunch,” becoming a solid mainstay of enduring friendship for over sixty beautiful years.
Mema Barn was fiercely devoted to her family. For many years, Sunday afternoons meant the smell of her famous pot roast cooking in the oven, the laughter of grandkids running around, and the love of her family circling the table. If you were lucky enough to be a kid under her roof, you’d stay up late sipping one of her famous root beer floats.
Her beloved husband, Jack, passed away in 2007, but Joann carried on with her signature sass and unwavering spirit. Her later years were anything but quiet. She became a celebrity in her own right, as a regular caller for over ten years on the Florida Folk Show on WMNF, where she became known as “Pat’s Mom.” She was known to frequent bars, joining her son on stage for duets, stealing the show, and hitting the casinos for “a little fun,” Despite a string of diagnoses that would slow most people down, Jo was unstoppable. Doctor’s orders were suggestive at best. Retinal surgery was no problem. Just slap on an eye patch and keep the conversation going at lunch. A broken hip was the perfect excuse to roll into the bar in a wheelchair and still belt out a tune.. She lived on her own terms, with no apologies and no regrets.
Joann shared a lifetime of memories and road trips with her brother, Robert Davis, and sister, Judy Deford. They had a bond that couldn’t be broken despite their competitive nature when it came to SkipBo. Robert and Joann would tease each other endlessly, but whether they were cutting a rug or cutting a deck of cards, their love went deep.
Her greatest treasures were her children, David (Wendy), Patrick (Marilyn), and Sherry (Jeff), along with her grandkids: Shayla (Nathan), Adam, Jessica (Joe), James, Joanna (Chris), Ashley, Jaqueline (Allen), and Lowell. Her great-grandchildren, Abiella, Bella Grace, Isaiah, Kash, Oliver, Brielle, and Lennox, will grow up hearing the legendary stories of Mema Barn and how, no matter how old or young you were, she wouldn’t let you beat her at SkipBo.
She thanked Jesus for giving her 93 wonderful years. She lived more life than some could in two lifetimes—yet somehow, 93 years doesn’t seem long enough for those of us left behind. We’ll miss her dearly, but knowing Mema Barn, she’s already got the next party planned—this time in heaven, where she’s saving us all a seat at the table.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating to Suncoast Hospice of Pinellas County.
Celebration of Life will be on November 2, 2024, 5:00 PM
at Scottish American Society of Dunedin
917 Louden Ave, Dunedin, FL
What’s your fondest memory of Kathryn?
What’s a lesson you learned from Kathryn?
Share a story where Kathryn's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Kathryn you’ll never forget.
How did Kathryn make you smile?