Jo Ann Hagan Bates

Jo Ann Hagan Bates died January 4, 2026 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. She was preceded in death by her husband William Howard Bates, Jr. of Albany, by her parents Albert Quincy Hagan, Sr. and Dorris Horton Hagan of Tifton, GA and her grandparents Charlie Rawlins Horton and Dora Horne Horton of Herndon, GA and John Sheppard Hagan and Mary Ann Williams Hagan of Screven County, GA She is survived by her son, William Howard Bates, III and his partner Emerson Moore of New York, New York and her daughter Bronwyn Georgia Bates and son-in-law Burt Sorrells of Albany, GA, her sister Mary Hagan (Diane Fischer) of Sacramento, CA and brother Al Q. Hagan, Jr. (Linda) of Bogart, GA. A native of Ocilla, GA, she attended school in Camilla and graduated from Swainsboro High School. She attended Emory at Oxford and graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Elementary Education and a minor in Library Education. She completed graduate work at the University of Georgia obtaining her Masters in Media and her Specialist 6th Year Degree in Instructional Technology. After their marriage in 1963, 2nd Lt. Bates’ military assignment took them to Okinawa where she taught 6th grade at Christ the King International School for two years. While there she began organizing the first library for the school. They returned to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen, Maryland for a short tour and then to Osan Air Force Base in Korea for a year. She did volunteer work at the Non-Commissioned Officers Club and taught classes at the University of Maryland branch on base. During that time she lived off base in a Korean house in the village of Osan. After Korea, they were stationed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL where she was the librarian at two elementary schools. One of the libraries was functional, the other was being completely reorganized. In 1969, they were transferred to Pueblo, CO where Bill taught ROTC at Southern Colorado State College and Jo Ann was assistant librarian at South High School. In 1970, while living in Pueblo, their son, William was born. They returned to graduate school in Athens, GA in the fall of 1970 at the end of Bill’s military time. Bill received his Specialist Degree in Educational Administration and Jo Ann worked toward her Masters Degree in Library Education. In the summer of 1971, they returned to Albany, GA where Jo Ann was a stay at home mom until William was in the second grade when she was hired as Media Specialist at Riverview Academy for several years until their daughter, Bronwyn was born in 1979. In 1981, Jo Ann became Media Specialist at Westover High School until her retirement in 2001. During this time she attended graduate school through a University of Georgia/Valdosta College co-operative program. Through this program she received her Masters of Education in 1974 and her Specialist of Education in 1986 from the University of Georgia. Jo Ann was active in Beta Sigma Phi; Great Books reading group; Serendipity Garden Club; Thronateeska Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution; United Daughters of the Confederacy, Dougherty County Chapter No.187; Pierre Robert Chapter of Daughters of the American Colonists; and John Sumner Chapter of Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century. She was an active member of First Baptist Church Albany from 1972 until 2022. Visitation will be on Friday, January 9, 2026 at Kimbrell-Stern from 1 PM till 2 PM prior to the memorial service at Kimbrell-Stern at 2 PM. The Rev. Dr. Butch Knight will officiate. A private internment service will take place at Crown Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.

Jo Ann Hagan Bates

July 25, 1941 - January 4, 2026