Josephine “Jo” Pasak Rawlings

Josephine “Jo” Pasak Rawlings of La Grange, formerly of Wharton, died July 24, 2015 in La Grange. Visitation will be held from 12 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, 2015 at Fayette Memorial Funeral Home in La Grange with a rosary being recited at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 31, 2015 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in La Grange. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Wharton.

She was born Josephine C. Freed, the youngest of 11 children to Josef and Frances (Martinak) Fried on Dec. 23, 1919 in East Bernard. She married her first husband, Willie F. Pasak on Nov. 23, 1938. He preceded her in death in May of 1963. She later married Harold W. Rawlings on Oct. 2, 1985 and he preceeded her in death on Jan. 14, 1987. Josephine enjoyed playing bingo and going to casinos in Coushatta and Las Vegas, gardening, yard work, her grandchildren and great grand-daughter, her cats Sammy and Prissy, and the beach in Matagorda. She was employed as a seamstress in Wharton prior to moving to La Grange to be near her daughters and grandchildren. She was also a seamstress for many years in Fayette County making wedding gowns, LGISD Band Drill team uniforms, Cheerleader uniforms, public alterations and quilting. “Jo” is survived by daughter, Jo Ann Baker of La Grange; two grandsons, Scott F. and Ross H. Baker of La Grange; step-grandson, Justin Ponder, his wife Courtney and their children, Justin and Jase; step-granddaughter, Pamela Ponder Davis, her husband Ryan and their children, Haley, Dain, and Gracie; great granddaughter, Kori Lynn Osina; step-daughters, Diane Rawlings, Rachele Rawlings, and Molly Rawlings; numerous nieces and nephews, and two special nieces, Delores Koenig and Betty Ann Dearing also survive. She was preceeded in death by her parents, her two husbands, four sisters, six brothers, a daughter, Joyce Pasak Osina Mahaffey, and one grandson, Darryl Wayne Osina. Family suggests memorials to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, cancer research or to the Gardenia Janssen animal shelter. Fayette Memorial Funeral Home in La Grange was in charge of arrangements.