Jo Ann Lysik, 67, of Village Road, passed away on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 in the Rose Monahan Hospice Home, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Jo Ann was born and raised in Worcester on December 7, 1943, daughter of Joseph R. and Isabel A. (Garofoli) Lysik, and has lived in Paxton since 1968. She was a 1961 graduate of North High School, and received her B.S. and Master’s degrees from Worcester State College. She was an educator for the City of Worcester Public Schools for 38 years, teaching at the Chandler Elementary, the Lamartine Street School, retiring from Rice Square Elementary in 2003 due to illness. She was a member of the St. Columba Church, the NEA, MTA, EAW of Worcester and REAM, and enjoyed reading, gardening, musical theatre, the arts and extensive traveling.

She leaves her brother, Steven J. Lysik of Brookfield; a sister, Donna J. Gillis and her husband Bruce of Princeton; a close friend, Marilyn F. Polito of Millbury; close friend and caretaker, Julie A. Jamron of Rutland; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Friends are invited to pay their respects from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10th, in the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. Her funeral will be held on Wednesday, May 11th, from the funeral home with a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Columba Church, Richards Ave., Paxton. Burial will follow in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. The family requests in lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital , 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.