Jo Ann Eiland, 82, a resident of Luverne, Alabama, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 6th, 2026 at Crenshaw Community Hospital. A celebration of her life will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, August 22nd, at South Luverne Baptist Church.

To those who knew and loved her, "Ninny" was the heart of the family, the one whose door was always open, whose table always had room for one more, and who made sure everyone felt loved, fed and welcome. Family gatherings, especially the holidays, were always held at Jo Ann's house, and she somehow managed to prepare at least one favorite dish for everyone coming. She was a wonderful cook who passed that gift along, teaching many members of her family their way around the kitchen. She was also talented at baking and decorating cakes, and her famous banana pudding was a must for rescue squad dinners. Her family was at the center of her world. Ninny rarely missed an activity or sporting event involving her grandchildren, and she was doing her best to continue that tradition with her great-grandchildren. If someone in her family needed her, she was always ready to help in any way she could.

When she wasn't taking care of family or others, there was a good chance Jo Ann could be found in a vegetable patch somewhere. She spent countless hours growing and putting up vegetables, canning and pickling okra, and making bread-and-butter pickles. She also took great pride in doing her own yard work and keeping beautiful flowers for as long as she was able. Jo Ann worked for many years at Luverne Slacks Company, Petrey Wholesale, Smart and The Red Rock, and she also served as a devoted caregiver for Kenny Eiland for many years.

Service to others was simply part of who she was. She was a founding member of the Brantley Rescue Squad and a longtime member of the Luverne Rescue Squad, serving as an EMT. She genuinely loved going on calls and helping people when they needed it most. Over the years, she gave countless volunteer hours to the residents of the City of Luverne and Crenshaw County and continued to enjoy attending the quarterly AARS meetings.

Of course, Jo Ann was also an avid Alabama football fan, and Saturdays during football season were taken seriously. Some of the best memories, though, were the simplest ones. Jo Ann's door on Sentell Avenue was always open, and many afternoons and evenings were spent around her table with friends, where plenty of coffee was poured after 4:00 p.m. and even more conversation was shared. She lived her life taking care of people, feeding them, showing up for them, teaching them, helping them and loving them. Her family and community are all better for the many years she spent doing just that.

Jo Ann was preceded in death by her grandson, Trent Moody; parents, Mike & Essie Sexton; and siblings, Annette Shockley, Jeanette Hall, LJ Sexton, Douglas Sexton, HV Sexton, Billy Sexton, and Walter "Bubba" Sexton. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Sue Moody; bonus daughters, Annette Stephenson and Clemmie Williams; grandchildren, Kelsie (Chris) Reeves and Justin Moody; grandson-in-law, Stanley Santiago; great-grandchildren, Kendall Moody, Kimber Davis, Jantzen Moody, and Grace Reeves; and dear special friends, Lynda Turner & Gilda Jackson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Lynda Turner, Floyd Wright, TL Washington, Paul Creel, Robert "Ebay" Knight, and the A-Team.