Obituary of Jo Ann Mancinelli

Jo Ann Mancinelli passed away peacefully November 25, 2005 with family and friends at her side in Olympia, WA. She is survived by her son Chris Mancinelli, Naches, WA, grandchildren Rachel and Andrew; daughter Lisa Zvolanek, grandson Wes, Olympia, WA; a sister Kathie Nicholson, Port Angeles, nephews/niece James, Nicholas and Chelsea; and her Mother, Dorothy Nicholson, Burlington, WA. Jo Ann was preceded in death by her Father, Dr. Laurence Nicholson, 1980; Sister, Marilyn, 1956, both of Anacortes, WA. Born May 3, 1944 to Dr. & Mrs. Laurence Nicholson in North Island, CA., near San Diego, where Laurence was stationed during WWII. The Nicholson family soon returned home to Anacortes, WA where they were lifelong residents. In 1953, at the age of 9, Jo Ann underwent radiation treatment to remove brain tumor, resulting in her loss of sight. The following year she was home schooled; the next 1 ½ years she attended the School for the Blind in Vancouver, WA, where she first met her future husband, William Mancinelli. She then returned to public school and graduated 1961 from Anacortes High School, Magna Cum Laude, #2 in her class. While in school, she was a member of Camp Fire Girls, Red Cross, National Honor Society, International Order of the Rainbow, Science Club and National Thespian Society. Jo Ann learned early on to never let her disability get in her way. She did everything (and more) a sighted person could do; play the piano and accordion; cook, clean, garden, sew, knit and weave. She learned to swim, horseback ride and delighted in tandem cycling, walking and outdoor activities. She was very independent and enjoyed life. Jo Ann and William married in 1962, making their home in Seattle where they began a family. After her divorce, Jo Ann moved to Bellingham in 1976, and while busy raising 2 children on her own, she enrolled at Western Washington University. In 1981, graduating Cum Laude, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Education. She held the position of Executive Director for the non-profit corporation, VILA (Vision and Independent Living Agency) which was founded in 1984 in Bellingham, WA. VILA was established to help blind and visually handicapped residents of NW Washington learn to cope with loss of sight. Jo Ann was Treasurer for United Blind of Whatcom County; she learned to use a computer and made Braille bus schedules for WTA and Braille menus for many local restaurants. She often attended meetings and conventions for the Blind throughout Washington, where she spoke on behalf of the rights and needs of the visually impaired. In her early 40’s she began to lose her hearing, possibly a result of the radiation treatment she received as a child. Being told her hearing would continue to deteriorate, she began learning tactile sign language. Over the next decade, her health continued to decline, resulting in total deafness and multiple neurological disorders. At the age of 56, Jo Ann had lost her cherished independence and was now under the care and supervision of her daughter. In 2001 she chose to relocate to Olympia. She moved into Scanlon's AFH, where she lived the remainder of her life under the constant loving care of her daughter and Adelina Scanlon. Jo Ann loved spending time with family and friends and enjoyed reading, cooking, knitting, weaving, playing the piano and accordion. She was a wonderful Mother and friend, a role model and an inspiration to all. She touched the lives of so many people and will be greatly missed.