Jo Carol Spurlock

Jo Carol Spurlock, 60 of Abilene, passed away at Baylor Medical Hospital in Dallas after a lengthy battle with breast cancer on November 3, 2013. A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, November 8, at 2 pm at St. Paul United Methodist Church with a visitation to follow. A private family graveside service will be held prior to the memorial service.

Jo Carol was born in Kilgore, Texas on January 28, 1953 to Joe and Anita Stewart Hatcher. She attended school in Kilgore and went on to Kilgore Jr College, where she became a Kilgore College Rangerette. Afterwards she attended Texas Tech, where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. After college, she connected with Mark Spurlock, a boy she had known since fifth grade, and on August 11, 1979 they were married at Faith Bible Church in Duncanville.


For the past 30 plus years, Jo Carol and her family have called Abilene home. She has invested her time in the lives of others making very close, caring friends through the years. Her desire to have a strong faith has been fueled by the years of worship at Abilene Bible Church, Highland Church of Christ and most recently Wylie United Methodist Church. Jo Carol made a hobby of meeting people. She loved learning who they were, wanted to know about their families, and loved hearing what they had done with their lives. She culled out any negatives, dwelled on positive attributes, and became a cheerleader and encourager for them. Because of this, Jo Carol earned the many, many friendships she had. She truly cared.

Jo Carol loved beauty and so admired those gifted with the ability to create it. She often discounted her own giftedness of creating, but she had the uncanny ability to make things beautiful. She was known for bringing home things that were broken and thrown out, old and rusted, or just whimsical and fun and making them into something clever and artistic. Every room in her home reflected this gift, and she loved sharing her creations as gifts. Jo Carol took the time to create a haven for her family and friends in her home. Her home, while lovely, was a place where you felt comfortable…comfortable enough to take off your shoes, recline on the sofa, and sit for a long visit.

Jo Carol was a mentor and second mom to many girls. Her daughters’ friends loved spending time with them because she made them at home and genuinely cared for them all. Jo Carol fought every day of this battle with breast cancer. She was strong and courageous, trusted The Lord with all her heart, and was a champion through the end. Even while fighting for her own life, she met women in waiting rooms, befriended them, and brought encouragement to them.

She would want all to know that her Savior fought for her, she knew He was always with her, and that the Lord's will and sovereign plan led her to her great reward. She is truly healed.

2 Timothy 4:17 “But the Lord stood with me, and gave me strength.”

The family would like to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to Dr. Joyce O'Shaughnessy, M.D, Texas Oncology-Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, for her loving care and treatment over the past year. During Jo Carol’s treatment, the entire Baylor medical staff displayed the most sincere care and support. We truly thank them all.

Surviving Jo Carol are her husband Mark; daughters Stephanie Spurlock of Denver, CO and Emily Barnes and husband Josh Barnes and granddaughter Claire of Richardson, TX; brother Chris Hatcher of Culebra, Puerto Rico; nephews Joey Hatcher of Ponca City, OK and Andy Hatcher of Oklahoma City, OK; and a cousin Jodie Beall of Kilgore, TX. Preceding her in death are her parents and grandparents.

Donations in honor of Jo Carol may be made to Abilene Christian Schools, 2550 N. Judge Ely Blvd., Abilene, TX 79601. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.