JoAnn Frazier Box

JoAnn Frazier Box

Tupelo – JoAnn Frazier Box passed away September 17, 2025, at age 93 following a long and lovely life. She was born January 23, 1932, in Church Hill, Tennessee, to William Miller and Emma Gertrude Hawthorne Price. The youngest of four girls, JoAnn grew up in Surgoinsville, Tennessee, graduating from Maxwell Academy, Surgoinsville High School, where she played basketball, and the Whitney School of Business in Kingsport, Tennessee. She married Bert Lee Frazier of Mount Carmel, Tennessee, on April 4, 1953, and shortly thereafter they moved with The Hartford Insurance Company to Tupelo, Mississippi, where their daughter Margaret Ann was born. While in Tupelo, she worked as executive secretary for Mr. J.P. Nanney, President of the Bank of Tupelo. After moving back to East Tennessee for a few years, JoAnn faced what was perhaps her biggest challenge. While she was hospitalized giving birth to their son Bill, Bert was involved in a serious car accident which left him in a coma. Upon learning Bert was likely to die, JoAnn cold called the Neurosurgery Department at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital to ask for help. After hearing the story, Dr. Eben Alexander had Bert flown to Winston Salem, North Carolina, in his personal plane, and performed groundbreaking neurosurgery that saved his life. Bert always credited JoAnn with orchestrating this miracle. After he recovered, JoAnn and Bert returned to Tupelo in 1960 and purchased One Hour Martinizing Dry Cleaning and Laundry. They worked together in the business for 30 years until his death in 1990.

In 1995, JoAnn married Gene Box, the owner of Danver’s restaurant, and embarked on what she described as her life’s second phase. JoAnn and Gene enjoyed life together until Gene’s death in 2017. She always marveled at her good fortune at marrying two wonderful men.

JoAnn was a member of Calvary Baptist Church for more than 60 years and spent much of that time as a choir member and children’s Sunday School and Training Union teacher. She was an avid bridge player, a great cook and a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. As southern ladies of a certain age often do, she perfected the art of leading by following.

JoAnn is survived by her children, Margaret Ann Kennedy (Gregg) and Dr. William D. Frazier (Lydia); four grandchildren, John Frazier Kennedy, Mary Margaret Grace Kennedy, William Alexander Frazier, and Catherine Frazier Cameron (James); along with three great-grandchildren, Miles Frazier Kennedy, Laurel Mae Cameron, and Johanna Rose Cameron.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Margaret Cleveland Price, Willie Inis Kirkpatrick, and Lois Lucille Minor; both husbands; and her beloved grandson, Gregory Grant Kennedy.

Services in remembrance of Mrs. Box’s life will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday, September 22, 2025, at Calvary Baptist Church with Dr. John Boler and her son Bill Frazier officiating. Following the service, everyone is invited for a visitation and catered reception in the Fellowship Hall. Graveside Services will follow where Mrs. JoAnn will be buried between her husbands at Tupelo Memorial Park. Pegues Funeral Home have been entrusted with the care of JoAnn Frazier Box’s arrangements.

The family would especially like to recognize Ms. Irma Satterwhite, Ms. Rexy Hollingsworth, Ms. Joe Ann Davidson, Ms. Brenda Cox, and Ms. Patricia Brown for their tireless dedication, professionalism, and for the love they showed Ms. Box as her primary caregivers over the past few years. Their constant encouragement and good humor meant more to her than they could ever know. Thank you, ladies.

Expressions of sympathy and fond memories may be made at www.PeguesFuneralHome.com.