Josephine "Jo" Dearborn died in London on Dec. 1, 2009. She had moved there to be with her daughter after living in Alexandria for over 50 years. She was born in San Diego, Calif., but spent most of her life on the east coast. Jo attended Friends Select School in Philadelphia for high school. For one year she went to the University of Arizona where she became a Kappa, but she transferred to Smith College where she received her degree in Political Science. Jo married Carroll ‘Cal’ Dearborn in 1946 and they moved to Virginia shortly afterwards. She worked as a buyer at Garfinkels in Washington and for Acacia Life Insurance until her daughter was born. In 1966 she went to work for the Library at Virginia Theological Seminary. They offered to send her to Library School at the University of Maryland, she accepted, and on completing the degree, became the full time cataloguer for the Library. She oversaw the change from card index system to computer during her time there, a career of 28 years.
Jo was very active at Immanuel Church on the Hill where for a time she was president of the Women of the Church and a member of the Vestry. She was also president for a time of the Northern Virginia Kappas. She enjoyed sewing and painting and was a devoted mother and grandmother.
She is survived by her daughter Victoria Dearborn, son-in-law David Forster, granddaughter Josephine Forster and her beloved dog, Jasper.
There will be Memorial Service for Jo at 3 p.m. on July 29 at the Seminary Chapel, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria.
There will be refreshments afterwards in the Zabriskie Parish Hall of Immanuel Church on the Hill. Donations to Immanuel Church on the Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA, 22304.