Jo Lynn Besel Lofton Valentine May. 26, 1954 - January 3, 2023

Jo Lynn was born on May 26, 1954 in Denver, Colorado to Edgar Walter Besel and Marion Marcella Tegeler Besel in Denver, Colorado. She was the youngest of three girls. Her oldest sister by ten years was Judith Ann Besel Trautwein and Janet Lorraine Besel Darnell was five years older.

She lived in Golden then Wheat Ridge from 1954 to 1959 where she attended Wheat Ridge Lutheran School. In 1964 the family moved to Denver where she continued her education, graduating from Denver South High School in 1972. After this she pursued training in nursing and worked as a Nurses aid.

In 1973, Jo Lynn married Harold Lofton and had a son in June of 1974. After her short marriage ended, she met James Valentine and remarried in 1979. She had a variety of jobs which included being a car transporter and then a press operator for Van Schaack Real Estate. In 1984 her 29 year career with Sampsonite began. She started as a printing press operator for 12 years and moved up to the head of logistics for 17 years. When Samsonite shut down their operations, she worked for Riviera as at the head cashier and banker.

Jo Lynn had many interests and hobbies outside of work when living in Black Hawk. They included camping, boating, fishing, and snow skiing. She loved to entertain and cook her famous ribs, go dancing and ride motorcycles. The beach was her happy place. But when at home, she tended a multitude of plants and raised 12 hybrid wolves on her 5 acres for 9 years.

In 2015 Jo Lynn moved to San Tan, Arizona to be closer to her son Tyrone Lofton and grandson. She purchased a home and worked for Advantage Car Rental until her retirement in 2018. She felt blessed to live in a close knit neighborhood, to have a cozy back yard for her 2 little dogs and to have time to get to know her daughter-in law Cynthia and extended family. The joy of her life was Beau. She loved watching his sports, cooking his favorite foods and playing Monopoly.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/jo-valentine/obituary/

Copy