Jo Marie Brown

Jo Marie Brown, 83, of Amarillo, Texas, passed away peacefully on November 21, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was born on October 28, 1942, in Cooper, Texas, to M.C. “Joe” and Bonnie Odessa Barnett.

Jo Marie lived a life marked by intelligence, wit, curiosity, and an unmistakable sense of independence. She earned her master’s degree in Psychology from West Texas A&M University and spent many years as a licensed professional counselor, caring deeply for the people she served.

She created a life that was uniquely hers. Jo Marie loved travel, art, the theater, and was endlessly curious about people, places, and traditions beyond her own. She was an avid reader with a deep affection for the written word. True to form, she never owned a computer, never used email, and rarely turned on a television. Instead, she surrounded herself with books and looked forward to her weekly delivery of The New York Times, savoring each issue cover to cover.

She married the love of her life, Bill Brown, in May of 1998. Their years together were full of companionship, laughter, and adventure. After Bill’s passing in 2006, Jo Marie never remarried and longed to be reunited with him in heaven. She was also preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Rachel Wells.

She is survived by her sons Scott Wells and wife Sheila of Montgomery, Texas, and Gary Wells and wife Dawn of Amarillo, Texas. She leaves behind grandchildren Bree Proffitt (Daniel), Britton Wells (Rachael), and Stacy Bohorquez (Albert), as well as great-grandchildren Cohen, Thatcher, and Saxon Proffitt, Beckham and Graham Wells, and Isabella Bohorquez.

A memorial service honoring Jo Marie’s life will be held in the Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel, 2800 Paramount Blvd., on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.