Josephine "Jo" Elledge Pardue

Josephine “Jo” Elledge Pardue passed away peacefully on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, at the SECU Hospice Care Center of Yadkin. She was born Dec. 19, 1931, in Wilkes County to the late H.L. and Pauline Peacock Elledge.

Jo was full of life and usually surrounded by family and friends. When she finished high school, she moved to Winston-Salem to work for Hanes. Every weekend, she returned home to visit her family and go with her friends to the VFW to dance. One weekend, she met Bob Pardue, who later became her husband.

After getting married, they settled in Winston-Salem. But Jo wanted to be closer to family, so they eventually decided to build a house on Bob’s family’s land in Hamptonville. There, she devoted her time to being a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker for more than 60 years.

As a little girl, Jo fed her family’s chickens every morning, and throughout most of her life, she made sure no animal went hungry on her watch. In the last year of her life, she accumulated 11 stray cats and a couple of possums. Her carport became their personal diner, and in her last days, her biggest concern was making sure someone would take care of them after she couldn’t.

In addition to her love for animals, Jo enjoyed tending to her flowers and going to church. No one in her family will ever be able to eat a piece of coconut pie or fried hoecake without remembering her. She’ll also be remembered for her laugh and all the ways she cared for her family and any animals that crossed her path.

Jo is survived by her sons, Chris Pardue and wife, Anita; LeHew Pardue and wife, Debbie; grandchildren, Ryan (Melinda) Pardue, Ethan (Nikki) Pardue, Chelsea (Charlie) Charping, Dylan (Becca) Pardue, Whitney (Terae) Harris; 6 great-grandchildren, Tailynn (Jordan) Shore, Nik (Nevaeh) Pardue, Kaden Pardue, Wylie Pardue, Annabel Charping, Avery Charping; 1 great-great-grandchild, Riggs Pardue; brothers, Jimmy (Peggy) Elledge, Bobby (Lanelle) Elledge; a sister, Judy (Jim) Perkins; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Bob Pardue; her brothers, Doug Elledge, William Elledge; sister, Vicki Stinson; nieces, Robin Elledge, Kim Elledge; and great-niece, April Xayavong.

The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at Union Baptist Church in Hamptonville. Her funeral service will follow the visitation at 4 p.m. Saturday in the church with Rev. Kenny Pardue officiating. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the SECU Hospice Care Center of Yadkin, 243 North Lee Avenue, Yadkinville, NC 27055. Online condolences may be made at www.gentryfuneralservice.com. 

Gentry Family Funeral Service of Yadkinville is serving the Pardue Family.