Passed away in Hospice care November 27, 2022 at age 84.
She was born JoAnn Marie Grossman in Cincinnati, Ohio June 30, 1938, the eldest child of Earl and Josephine Grossman.
A graduate of Ludlow (KY) High School, she married Delaney R. Wren in 1958 with whom she had three sons and moved to Tampa, FL in 1970.
She became a fixture in the Tampa arts community while working for the creative programming department of Tampa Parks and Recreation for 37 years, performing puppet shows throughout the city of Tampa. She also helped to produce the popular “Friday Extra” concert series at Lowry Park, as well as local storytelling festivals.
She was heavily involved with the Puppeteers of America on a local, regional and national level, and started her own theater called “Hands Of Delight Puppets” in the mid 1970s.
Divorced in 1979, she returned to college to earn her Bachelor and Master degrees in education from The University Of South Florida.
As a long time member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church, she participated in many
programs to aid the local community in North Tampa.
Preceding her in death in addition to her parents, were son Daryl Ray Wren in 2002 and former husband Delaney in 2009.
She is survived and greatly missed by son and daughter-in-law Mark and Debbie Wren of
Pickerington, OH; son Gregory Wren of Tampa, FL; sisters Debbie Spaulding of Alexandria, KY and Melissa Sturgeon of Union, KY; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, co-workers and friends.
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