JoAnn "Jody" Tarver Dew

JoAnn “Jody” Tarver Dew of Natchitoches, La. passed away on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the age of 88 after a long illness. She was born June 7, 1936 in Woodward, Oklahoma, to John and Thelma Meyer Tarver, during the height of the Dust Bowl. Shortly after her birth, she and her parents moved to her father’s home state of Louisiana, first living with her grandparents in Kisatchie and eventually settling in Sabine Parish.

She graduated from Many High School in 1953 and received a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Northwestern State College in Natchitoches in 1956 where she was a member of the College Singers and Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. It was at Northwestern that she met the love of her life, Wayne Dew. They were married on June 3, 1956 in Many following their graduation. 

Jody spent the first two years of their marriage as a military wife, following Wayne to assignments in El Paso, Texas, Nagoya, Japan, and Fort Buckner, Okinawa where she taught in the Department of Defense schools. After returning to the United States in 1958, they settled in Natchitoches and started their family. Over the years, Jody taught in various schools in Natchitoches parish, ending her career as a remedial reading and math teacher at what was then North Natchitoches Elementary. She retired in 1997. 

She was a member of the Alpha Chi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches, and was a past member of the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society and Les Amies. She is a proud descendent of early Swiss-German immigrants, earning her memberships in the Daughters of the American Revolution-St. Denis Chapter, and the First Families of Tennessee. 

Jody was loved by all who knew her. She had a bubbly, fun personality and she never met a stranger! She loved to laugh and tell stories of her childhood. Her family was the light of her life, and her grandchildren were her special joy. Her grandchildren adored their “Ammaw.”

She was a voracious reader and enjoyed gardening, baking, sewing, needlecrafts, and working crossword puzzles. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, her infant brother, John Weldon Tarver, and her beloved husband, Wayne Dew. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Christy Dew of Shreveport, Kelly Hennigan and her husband, Tommy, of Natchitoches, and Lance Dew and his wife, Lori, of Volant, PA; her grandchildren, Carlee Scott and Whitt Scott of Natchitoches, Shane Dew of Butler, PA, and Katie Dew of Volant; her brother, Mike Tarver, of Many, and numerous cousins. 

Services will be held on Friday, January 31 at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church of Natchitoches. Visitation is Thursday, January 30 from 5:00-8:00 at the church. Interment will immediately follow at American Cemetery in Natchitoches. 

The family would like to thank Letreice Beasley and Tiffany Burrell for their loving care and devotion to our mother during her last years. 

Honoring her as pallbearers will be Lance Dew, Whitt Scott, Uriel Rodriguez, Tommy Hennigan, David Kees, and David Mooney.

Memorials can be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 3100 Samford Ave., Shreveport, LA 71103, or the charity of one’s choice.