JoAnn Bess, age 87, of Kinston, Alabama, departed this life on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at her home in the Perry Store Community. Funeral services will be held at Hayes Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, August 22, 2026, beginning at 3:00 PM, with Rev. Phillip Adcock and Rev. Chris Tidwell officiating. Burial will follow in Peaceful Acres Memorial Gardens in Opp. Visitation will be held at Hayes Funeral Home on Saturday from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM.

JoAnn married her soulmate, Tom Frank Bess, at the tender age of sixteen and remained faithfully by his side for fifty-nine years until his passing in 2016. She lived with a joyful anticipation of their reunion in Heaven and the blessed hope of seeing her Lord and Savior face to face. JoAnn was a precious soul whose life was shaped daily by her strong Christian beliefs and unwavering faith. She walked through life with a servant’s heart, always keeping her door open and her hands ready to help anyone in need.

She retired from the Coffee County School System after many years as a cafeteria worker at Kinston Schools. JoAnn knew her way around a kitchen—a skill perfected through decades of caring for her siblings, providing for her family, and feeding countless children at school. Even after retirement, she stayed busy doing what she loved most: cooking pecan and peanut brittle, divinity, and her famous chocolate pies. Above all, she will be remembered for her sweet demeanor, her genuine caring nature, and the love of God that shined so clearly through her spirit.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her son and caregiver in recent years, Tony Bess; son, John (Sheila) Bess; daughter, Tammy (Mike) Floyd; and daughter, Kim (Troy) Matthews, all of Kinston, Alabama. She is also survived by her brother, Pete (Cyndi) Wyrosdick of Davenport, Florida; eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents, Ada and Harmon Wyrosdick; her brothers, Charles, Rudolph, Jimmy, Wayne, and Rex Wyrosdick; and her sister, Sue Haymon.

Family and friends will be received at the home of Tammy & Mike Floyd.

Hayes Funeral Home of Elba, Alabama, is serving the Bess family.