Jo Ellen Huber

Mesa, Ariz.

With heavy hearts and deep love, we celebrate the life of our beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, Jo Ellen Violet (Kniffin) Huber, who passed away peacefully on April 15, 2025, at the age of 74 in Mesa, Arizona.

Born on Feb. 20, 1951, in Minot, North Dakota, Jo Ellen was a devoted daughter of Clayton and Vivian Kniffin, who welcomed her into a world she would fill with love and laughter. She graduated from Minot High School in 1970 and later, with great determination, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and History from Minot State University in 1997.

In 1972, Jo Ellen married and soon embraced her life’s greatest calling–being a mother to her two children, Julie and Jason. Though she divorced in 1983, Jo Ellen’s unwavering devotion as a mother remained the steady center of her life. She poured her heart and soul into raising her children with remarkable resilience and unconditional love, always putting their needs before her own.

With pride and dedication, Jo Ellen spent 25 years with Walmart, serving in both Minot and Mesa, Arizona, where she was known for her reliability and kind spirit. She also brought joy and comfort to many children while working at Trini Tots Day Care, sharing her grandmotherly love and playful heart. In 2015, she retired from Walmart to prioritize her wellbeing and spend more time with her family.

To those who knew and loved her, she was affectionately called “JoJo”–a name that perfectly reflected her warm heart and playful spirit. Whether she was planning a family party, caught up in a card game, or purposefully spilling a smoothie, she never failed to bring laughter to those around her.

Jo Ellen’s faith was the anchor of her life. A lifelong member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, she served faithfully for many years as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher, never wavering from her belief in God or the power of prayer.

Later in life, she headed to Arizona, where she spent her final eleven years surrounded by the love and laughter of her children’s families. She embraced the warm weather and filled her days with the simple pleasures–spending time with her grandsons, hoarding countless trinkets, and watching far too much television.

Jo Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Clayton and Vivian Kniffin, as well as her granddaughter, Kennedy Huber. She treasured their memories dearly and often expressed a heartfelt longing to one day be reunited with her mother.

She is lovingly survived by her daughter, Julie (Jacob) Davis; her son, Jason Huber; her grandchildren Johnathon and Jamison Davis, Kristin Best, and Kaylin Huber; her seven siblings and numerous nieces and nephews. Jo Ellen’s legacy of love, laughter, and faith will continue to shine in all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Friday, May 2, 2025 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Minot. To view a livestream of the service or to share memories and condolences access her obituary at www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com

Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens in Minot, ND.

Visitation: Thursday, May 1, 2025 from 3 until 5 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.

In lieu of flowers and plants, the family kindly requests donations be made in Jo Ellen’s honor to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Minot, ND.

Published by The Minot Daily, April 29, 2025.