Joanna Lee

Joanna Lee passed away May 8, 2021 at The Arbors nursing home in Rusk, following a lengthy illness. She was born October 26, 1948 in Jacksonville, Texas to John C. Williams Jr. and Betty Jo Evans Williams. She grew up in Rusk, where she attended public school, graduating from Rusk High School in 1967. She attended Tyler J. College one year then accepted a job at the Rusk State Hospital where she worked for the next 30 years at the Day Treatment Center as a Therapist Tech I, advancing to a level “III” supervisory position. She then transferred to the Texas Depart of Corrections, working as a CO1 at the Beto and Hodge Units for a combined 6 years, before she retired. She later worked in food service for the Rusk ISD and cleaned houses independently, until she lacked the physical capacity to continue.

When not cooking and cleaning, or watching her favorite soap opera, she enjoyed being a caregiver to her grand-children, to whom she was very devoted.

She is preceded in death by her parents and grandparents. She is survived by her daughter, Tracy Jo Lee Booth of Rusk; brother, John C. Williams III of Rusk; sister Jane Clair and her husband Charles Dansby of Lubbock; grandchildren, Jordan Booth, Jamarkus Mickens, Jada Mickens, all of Rusk; nephews, Joel and Jeremy Dansby of Lubbock; former husband Steve and his wife Nancy Lee of Tyler; one aunt, Hazel Lytle of Corpus Christi, and numerous cousins.
The family wishes to thank the nursing staff at the Arbors and the providers of Hospice of East Texas. No services are scheduled at this time.