Page 96 - The Decorative Painter Fall 2016

in memory
In Memory
Lois Ann Barthol, SDP member since 1990, passed away in April 2016. She was a member of the Old Dominion Decorative Artists of Richmond. She resided in Maiden Va. We dearly will miss her positive and upbeat personality.
Charles Cisco, husband of Carol Lee Cisco cda, a longtime exhibitor at Conferences, passed away in February 2016. He resided in Richardson, Texas.
Nadine Gaffney, an SDP member since 2013, passed away peacefully in April 2016.
Julie Elizabeth Goodwin cda, an SDP member since 1981, passed away in April 2016. Julie held various leadership positions in her chapters, including president of Orange Country Tole and Decorative Painters. She resided in Huntington Beach, Calif. Julie will be missed by everyone who knew her.
Bill Harrington, SDP member since 1984, passed
away in April 2016 at age 90. Bill will be remembered
for Harrington’s Ink stretched canvases that he first started making for his wife, Norma, known for her folk art country landscapes. The Harringtons’ first booth
was at HOOT in 1984. Bill joined SDP that year and
sold custom stretched canvases to painters through distributors in the United States ranging from California to New Hampshire and from Georgia to Minnesota, as well as through a distributor in Japan. Norma joined
SDP in 1970 and founded the Turp ’n’ Stein chapter.
Bill continued custom stretching canvas for decorative painters including Tricia Joiner’s class at NET in 2015. Although they were no longer exhibiting, Bill and Norma enjoyed visiting SDP Conferences, most recently Wichita in 2012 for SDP’s 40th Anniversary when Norma donated one of her paintings to SDP’s IMSDP Museum. He resided in Mequon, Wis.
Clara Lacey, an SDP member since 1983, passed away in April 2016. Clara held many positions in her chapter of Orange Country Tole and Decorative Painters and was always willing to help even in her failing health. She resided in Downey, Calif. Clara will be missed by everyone who knew her.
JoAvis Moore mda, passed from this life in April 2016. Jo Avis was born on her family’s farm near Welch, Okla. on May 20, 1930 and she led a life filled with family, friends, travel, and artistry. After marrying Don Moore in 1955, Jo Avis lived
in Beaumont, Houston, New Orleans, and finally Tulsa, Okla. She and Don retired in Tulsa to
be near her much-loved sister Roma and her brother-in- law James Jay Mudd.
Jo Avis is survived by her beloved husband of 61 years, Don Moore, her daughter Melissa Willby, and her grandson Christopher Willby.
94 The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 3, 2016
Jo Avis will be remembered for her beautiful works
of art. After joining the Society of Tole and Decorative Painters in the 1970s, Jo Avis went on to become a Master Decorative Artist in 1995, and in 2012 she received the Silver Palette Award from the Society of Decorative Painters, which honored her work in teaching, publishing, and promoting decorative painting.
Within our painting community Jo Avis was a very dear longtime friend, mentor, cheerleader, and more.
Mary Jo Leisure mda shares, “Jo Avis was beautiful inside and out. Her paintings were beauties and she loved sharing her talents through her teaching. I have known Jo Avis for more than 40 years and treasure the many memories of time we shared together. She made a great impact on decorative painters today. She always was so pretty and always ready to go anywhere. Everyone always noticed her earrings. She was unique and beautiful from the first time I met her. Everyone loved her, she was kind, encouraging to others, and sharing. The beauty of the painting brought her together with people from all over the world as it did with many of us. She was a special friend, one that will be with me forever.”
Kerry Smith mda shares, “She was such a gentle, pure sole. I don’t think I ever heard her say something bad about anyone or anything.”
Gloria Koskey mda remembers, “traveling to Japan to teach from one end of the country to the other, twice. Along with working on the Certification Judging Committee together.”
As for me and our Tulsa Town Tolers Painting Chapter, she served our chapter not only in leadership positions but also the everyday chapter member duties. Her encouragement drove us to keep painting beautiful things. We saw her as a true Southern Belle at heart.
I am blessed and grateful to have known her. My life is more full because of her love of God and graciousness in each situation she was presented with.
Jo Avis’ greatest art, however, was her tireless and never-ending kindness to others. It was instinctive, ever present, and marked by her gracious smile. She was loved by the communities she touched and her family. She will be deeply missed.
Please pray today for Jo’s family and the rest of us, touched by her heart and her paintbrush.
We love you Jo Avis. Be at rest in the arms of our Lord, sweet thing. —Becky Faber
Thelma Ruppright, an SDP member since 1976, passed away peacefully in July 2016. She was a charter member of the Citrus Ridge Decorative Artist. She resided in Bartow, Fla.
Kathleen Vuichard, a 16-year member of Gateway Decorative Artists of Greater St. Louis chapter, passed away in February 2016. Kay was a strong supporter of the Memory Box program. She will be missed by all who knew her.
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