Josephine Carper

Josephine “JoJo” Roberts Dunlap Carper passed away on February 20th in Uvalde, Texas, the town she spent almost all of her life in.

She was born on March 20, 1932, in Harlingen, Texas, to Lela Smith Roberts and Joe Rice Roberts. The family moved to Uvalde in 1934 for her father to join the family businesses of ranching and running Roberts Red & White general store.

She graduated from Uvalde High School in 1948 and from Texas Christian University in 1952 with a business degree.

JoJo married Douglas Dunlap, on August 18, 1956. They lived in Robstown and Corpus Christi until they moved to Uvalde in 1966. Doug passed away in 1976.

In 1987, JoJo married a former Uvalde High School classmate Joseph William “Joe Bill” Carper, who tirelessly and lovingly cared for her throughout her lengthy illness.

JoJo taught math, mostly geometry and calculus, at Uvalde High School for 23 years. She was an encouraging presence, often telling struggling students if you’ll just keep trying, it will click – and it usually did with her patient guidance. She loved spending time with her grandchildren on the Frio River in Concan. She greatly enjoyed her retirement during which she got to spend more time playing bridge, birdwatching, and learning to oil paint, but was happiest when one or more of her beloved dogs was in her lap.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband; and two sisters, Fannie Lee Roberts Menger and Lela Roberta Roberts Rountree.

She is survived by her husband, Joe Bill Carper of Uvalde; one son, Douglas Dunlap, Jr., and wife, Marge of San Antonio; one daughter, Pam Garner and husband, Steve of Concan; one stepson, Paul Carper of Houston; one stepdaughter Lori Baker and husband, Kevin of Houston; six grandchildren: Dirk Dunlap and wife, Christina, Zach Dunlap, Lela Budnik and husband, Brian, Chelsea Hutto and husband, Ryan, Brianna Carper, and Olivia Carper; and six great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank Maggie Rubio, Martha Arias, Veranda Senior Living, and Uvalde Hospice for their devoted care of JoJo during these last months of her life.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Monday, February 24, at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Uvalde, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Uvalde Humane Society, El Progresso Library, or Uvalde Hospice Foundation.