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Hundreds mourn daily features writer who died aged 38

Jo 1The funeral of a daily features writer who lost her five-and-a-half year battle with cancer a fortnight ago has been held.

Hundreds of mourners gathered to remember Jo-anne Davies, 38, who spent 17 years working for the North-West Evening Mail in Barrow.

Jo-anne, left, who held several different roles during her career at the Evening Mail, passed away on 18 July surrounded by those close to her, including husband Matt, the Evening Mail’s sports editor.

Colleagues were among those to pay tribute to Jo-anne at Friday’s service, which was held at the town’s St Mary’s Church.

Jonathan Lee, managing director of CN Group (Barrow), told the congregation: “It takes a special person to be an outstanding journalist and a sensitive, caring human being. Make no mistake, Jo was a special person.

“As a journalist, she was a dream to work alongside. She took enormous pride in all aspects of her job and it shone through in all of her actions and in all of her words.

Jonathan continued that Jo treated every assignment, no matter how big or small, with “warmth and genuine interest in people – she was always professional and gave her best”.

He added: “What made her so special at her job, is that she cared about people she met and wrote about.

“As her wonderful husband Matt said, ‘when you enjoy your job, you’ve cracked it’, and she really loved hers.”

The service was told that Evening Mail staff would support Jo’s three chosen charities – Furness General Hospital oncology unit, St Mary’s Hospice and the Eve Appeal – and complete a Keswick to Barrow Walk for the good causes.

Jonathan added “we would all do well to live our lives the Jo Davies way”, and finished his speech with words from former Evening Mail journalist Helen Perkins, who said: “Jo was so nice to everyone.

“The kind of nice that English doesn’t have the vocabulary for. Jo was kindness walking.”

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  • September 2, 2015 at 3:12 pm
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    Wonderful journalist, great person, sadly missed.

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