Mary Jo (Moore) Tanner 86, a devout Christian, died peacefully under hospice care Friday, January 1, 2016 of a second brain tumor.

Mary Jo was born in Little Rock on August 6, 1929 and reared in Gurdon by loving parents.  She is survived by brother, William Britton Moore and his wife Martha Moore. She is also survived by one niece, Brittany Moore Kollmann and one nephew William Saxon Moore and wife Lisa Moore. In addition, three great nephews, William Stratton Moore, Britton Andrew Kollmann and Brooks Allen Kollmann all of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mary Jo also leaves many beloved cousins.

Mary Jo's husband, Lt Col Linden O. Tanner was killed in 1980 in an offshore helicopter crash while flying for a drilling company in Louisiana, following his retirement from the U.S. Army, tragically she also lost her only child, Lt. Christopher Moore Tanner in a 1987 during Marine helicopter night training exercise in the mountains north of Los Angles, California.  Her parents Mary and Tommy Moore of Gurdon also predeceased her.

Mary Jo won several beauty pageant awards in Clark County and later at Arkansas State Teachers (now University Of Central Arkansas, Conway) and graduated from Henderson State University.  She taught home economics and grade school in various communities.

For eight years, after the loss of her husband she was affectionally known as

"Mom Jo" as the housemother for Sigma Chi Fraternity, in Fayetteville, a rewarding and healing experience.

A Memorial Service will be Friday, January 8, 2016 at 11a.m. at St James United Methodist Church 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, Ar. 72212, followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers the family suggest giving to the St James mission fund for the Poor and Homeless of Arkansas.  A graveside interment will be in Gurdon, at Rose Hedge Cemetery on Saturday January 9, 2016 at 11 a.m. with a brief service.  Friends are invited to both events.

Funeral arrangements by BRAZZEL/Cornish The Funeral Home of Prescott, Eddie BRAZZEL, Director. Sign online guestbook: www.brazzelfuneralhomes.com