Jo Rae Stults

Jo Rae Stults was born in Wray on November 13, 1947, to Harry and Celia (Morris) Hughey.  She passed away peacefully at home on August 15, 2024, after a short illness. In between these two dates, a lifetime of memories were created.

Jo was raised on a farm south of Idalia and became a big sister to Dixie when she was 5 years old.  She had a love for dogs and horses and participated in gymkhanas and 4-H. She and Dixie frequently provided entertainment for company by performing pretend “rodeos” and she made her fair share of mud pies with cousins along with the other typical things kids did when living on a farm.  She attended school in Idalia and graduated from there in 1965.

Jo was blessed with two children, Cody and Roxanne Akey, prior to her marriage to David Stults on May 23, 1980.  From this union, a daughter, Jessie, was born.

Jo worked for many years at the Yuma County Assessor’s Office, including the transition of converting everything from paper to digital format. She also worked for Goodman Real Estate in Wray. A job change for Dave led them to Oklahoma for 11 years where many close friendships, including a lifetime one with Kristi Smith, were made.  While living in Chickasha, Jo worked in the kitchen at Friend Elementary School. She loved the kids and couldn’t resist the opportunity to give them a hard time and share a conversation. Jo was also employed at Mariposa Plants and Flowers in Greeley where she helped in the shop as well as did plant care and maintenance for many of their business and home accounts.

Anyone who saw Jo’s home witnessed her many talents.  Jo had a love of flowers and gardening, and wherever she lived her yard was an oasis. Pots, hanging baskets, ponds, gardens and flower beds were always breathtaking and enhanced each swimming pool and patio she found a way to con Dave into adding at any of their home locations.  As the family joke goes, Jo never let the facts interfere with a good story, so many conversations and hours of enjoyment with family and friends were spent out on the patio.

Speaking of adding, Jo had an eye for remodeling which also occurred at least at one point in almost all the various homes she and Dave lived.  It wasn’t uncommon for Dave to come home to find a missing wall…and so the revamp began.

Jo was an amazing cook.  She could create a wonderful dish that could never quite be duplicated because precisely measuring and following a recipe to a T was overrated.  There was always a snack, good supply of chips, “junky” cereal for the grandkids, and a drink for whomever walked through the door.

Entertaining for the holidays was over the top.  Jo would transform her home with decorations and décor for St Patrick’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas.  Add green mac and cheese, green milk or even green lipstick, a rum cake or pumpkin roll, a life-sized talking witch, or a costume to round out each specific holiday.

She was a marvel at shopping. In fact, she was probably a major influencer on the reason Kohl’s has their return dept all the way to the back of the store.  She never overlooked a “good deal”, sale or clearance and could make returns like a pro.

Jo loved the Denver Nuggets (especially Carmelo Anthony and Nikola Jokic), wine in glass stemware (that mattered!), and conversations. She had strong opinions on a lot of subjects.  You knew what she wanted.  She also had a big heart which shined through, along with she and Dave’s generosity, when they opened their home throughout the years to whomever needed a place to land.

Extraordinary pride for her grandchildren and extended “grandchildren” was very evident and she will forever be remembered as a fun, loving wife, mom, grandma, Aunt Jo and friend.

Jo is survived by her husband, David Stults, son Cody Akey and wife Joy of Wray, daughter Roxanne Hurley and husband Jason of Greeley, grandchildren Dhalton Akey, Alaina Akey, Railyn Akey, Logan Hurley, Bobbie Jo Hurley and Jeremiah (JJ) Hurley, sister Dixie Chamberlain, brothers-in-law Mike (Nona) Stults and Rick (Kathy) Stults, sister-in-law Julie Stults-Gilmer, son-in-law Josh Hasting, along with numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.  She is proceeded in death by daughter Jessie Stults, parents Harry and Celia Hughey, brothers-in-law Ron Chamberlain and Rob Stults, and mother-in-law Anna Mae Stults.