Joanne Wooten

"Mama Jo"

Joanne Rivenbark Wooten, age 79, passed away on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at Haywood Regional Medical Center following a prolonged illness.

As a Navy dependent, Joanne moved frequently early in her life, with most of her youth being spent in Wilmington, North Carolina.  She was the daughter of the late Walter and Hazel Frankoff and biological father, William Ivey Rivenbark, and grandparents, Lillian (Mobley) and Commadore English.  Joanne graduated from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing as an R.N. in 1963.  After working in Charlotte for a number of years, she moved to the mountains in 1978, where she joined the Haywood County Hospital staff, first at the original Waynesville location, then as one of the current location’s initial employees.  During a career exceeding four decades in healthcare, Joanne touched countless patients and families with her sincere, caring manner and energetic, positive demeanor.  She truly never met a stranger and amassed a vast array of friends across the country during her lifetime.  In addition to her nursing career, Joanne actively supported Folkmoot for over two decades, serving as the festival’s nurse, as well as assisting in ticket sales and various volunteer roles.  She is also remembered for serving as the Tuscola High School band nurse for over a decade.  Joanne was active in her church, Our Savior Lutheran church in Clyde, where she was a member for almost five decades, assisting in LWML as well as a number of ministry roles.  She was an avid bird watcher, excellent cook, and enjoyed crocheting, reading, knitting, gardening, and volunteering. She was always up for a great laugh with friends.

Joanne is survived by two daughters, Luanne Wooten McClure and her husband, Jeff, of Weaverville and Patricia "Patty" Wooten Loyer and her husband, Steve, of Gilbert, Arizona; son, Kurt Wooten and his husband, Mike Cannon, of Asheville; two brothers, Roger Frankoff, of Annapolis, Maryland, and Ricky Frankoff, of Raleigh, North Carolina; four grandsons, Zachary McClure, of Arlington, Virginia, Joshua McClure, of Durham, North Carolina, Joseph Loyer and Thomas Loyer, of Gilbert, Arizona.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at Our Savior Lutheran Church with Pastor Zach Misch officiating.  Burial will follow at Green Hill Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 25, at Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.

Memorial donations can be made in memory of Joanne to Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association, 15900 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville, NC 28078, Folkmoot U.S.A., P.O. Box 658, Waynesville, NC 28786, or Our Savior Lutheran Church Flower Fund, 785 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, NC 28721.

The care of Ms. Wooten has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.