JoAnn Hart Cotty
August 17, 1948-September 23, 2018
Roswell, GA-

JoAnn Hart Cotty, 70, of Roswell, Georgia passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, September 23, 2018. She went to be with her Lord surrounded by family after a lengthy battle with lung cancer.
JoAnn was born on August 17, 1948 in San Antonio, Texas. She resided in Columbus, Georgia along with her parents, LTC (Ret) Fred and Renee Hart, and brothers, Fred and Bruce Hart. A member of Baker High School Class of 1966, she was active in the school and community in numerous pursuits including student government and Junior Achievement. This was highlighted by her selection as the First Lady of Georgia during the 1966 Georgia YMCA Youth Assembly in Atlanta and also her representation of Columbus during the National Junior Achievement Speaker's Contest at the University of Indiana. She would go on to attend Mercer University where she pledged Alpha Delta Pi before ultimately graduating from Columbus State University.
JoAnn met her husband, Jim, in 1970 prior to his deployment to Vietnam, and they would later marry in April of 1971. Upon his release from military service in 1972, they returned to Columbus to establish roots and start a family.
JoAnn began her career as a sales representative for IBM, but found her ultimate calling in helping others who could not help themselves. She left IBM and went to work for the Department of Family & Children Services where she served in roles providing protective services for abused, neglected, and exploited children, providing parental counseling, recruiting foster parents, assisting in adoptions, and facilitating health care needs, among others. It was during this time she helped start the first shelter for battered women in Columbus, and helped form the Alliance for Battered Women serving on its Board for 8 years. She later went to work with the Muscogee County School District at Woodall Psychoeducational Center providing support for both emotionally disturbed children and their families. She ended her career as Pre-K Coordinator supporting programs for the system's youngest students. 
Above everything else, JoAnn was dedicated to her family. She was a devoted wife and mother, and spent her last several years living in Roswell, Georgia so that she could be the best "G-Ma" she could be. She routinely attended the birthday parties, soccer and basketball games, and school performances of the 6 grandchildren she adored. 
JoAnn is survived by her husband, James R Cotty; daughter, Suzanne Cotty Schneider (Josh); son, James R Cotty, Jr. (Sally); brothers COL (Ret) Fred L Hart, Jr. (Chris) and LTC (Ret) Bruce H Hart (Jo); and grandchildren, Finleigh Schneider, Kenston Cotty, Sloane Schneider, Olivia Cotty, Huck Cotty, and Davis Cotty.
Friends and family can pay their respects at the memorial service, officiated by Fr. Dan O'Connell, Pastor, on Monday, October 1 at 11:00 am at The Church of the Holy Family, 312 12th Street, Columbus, Georgia. A celebration of life will be held in St. Mary's Hall immediately following the service. Donations in JoAnn's name can be made to Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jimmy Cotty wrote this about his mother, Joann Hart Cotty, on Facebook 9/26/2018:

Friends & Family, as many of you know, my wonderful and loving mom passed away last weekend after a 20 month battle with lung cancer. We are sad that she is gone, but relieved and joyful that her suffering is over and that she is in a better place. We want to say thank you for all the kind texts, prayers, meals, babysitting, and all other offers for help during the last 6 weeks or so. We are so blessed to have such amazing friends.

We will remember and celebrate my mom's life this Monday, October 1 at Holy Family Catholic Church in downtown Columbus, Georgia. The service will begin at 11:00 am with a reception to follow. Please join us in celebrating my amazing mom.