JoAnne White Blair

JoAnne White Blair, age 89, of New York City, Winter Haven, FL, and Shreveport, LA passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, April 9, 2022.

Born in Mingo Junction, OH on February 14, 1933, she was the daughter of Irene and James White. She had a passion for acting and was a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NY. After a brief stint on the stage, due to practical matters, she became an administrative assistant at several television stations in NY, for the Herald Tribune in Paris, and later for John Ciardi, poet, at the Saturday Review in NY. JoAnne was married for 40 years to "Banana" George Blair, entrepreneur, and the oldest barefoot water skier according to the Guinness Book of World Records. She was an expert at facilitating his wildly hectic world travel, performance and social schedule. They amassed a huge circle of friends and admirers around their homes in Paris, NYC, Winter Haven, FL, and Steamboat Springs, CO.

She is survived by her brother, James B. White and his wife, Shirley; her nephew, Jimmy White and his children, Robbie and Leah; stepdaughters, Donna Blair, Carrie Blair, Robin Blair, GeeGee Blair with Alan Lopez; her step-grandchildren, Robert Blair, Marcus Turrisi, Theodore and Oliver Fetter, and step-great-grandchildren, Jessica, Eileen, Antonio, Nicholas, Emerson, Eliot, Nellie and Ruby.

Services will be under the direction of Thompson Memorial Home in Red Bank, New Jersey on Monday, May 2, 2022 at Fair View Cemetery, Rt. 35 in Middletown, New Jersey in Section SSS.

In her memory, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to your favorite museum, theater or arts group and raise a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, remembering her kindness and generosity.