Reverend JoAnn Tatum

Rev. Jo Ann Tatum was born in River Rouge, Michigan in 1947 to her parents Cloris Walls and Daisy Mae Murphy Walls. Rev. Tatum spent her formative years in Brewton, Alabama where she completed high school at Booker T. Washington. Rev. Tatum graduated from Somerset County Community College in North Branch, N.J. in 1976 completing her RN degree. It is now known as Raritan Valley Community College. She later enrolled in the New Brunswick Theological Seminary where she received a Master of Divinity in 2002.
In the late 60’s, she started her nursing career at what is now Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. NJ. She began working for the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in 1985 in Piscataway, where she worked for a number of years with the CARRI Program for teenage mothers and their families. She retired in 2012.
Rev. Tatum began her career in the ministry at Somerset Baptist Church in Somerset, N.J. She became an ordained minister. In the 1990’s, she joined the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, N.J., where she served as an Associate Pastor. She served in the Pastoral Care Ministry and she visited the sick, those in nursing homes, and bereaved families. Her work in the Senior Ministry was a blessing to so many of the seniors in the Church. She started the Prison Ministry for families whose loved ones were incarcerated. One of her greatest contributions was the introduction of the MasterLife Course to her church family through the Institute for Christian Discipleship (ICD).
Due to health issues Rev Tatum relocated to Easton, PA to be near her family. She began attending Greater Shiloh Church in 2015. Rev Tatum’s ordination was recognized at Greater Shiloh Church. She served this congregation in the Nursing Home visitation, Bereavement Ministry, Instructor in the Church Institute and MasterLife Instructor.
Rev. Tatum was predeceased by Clarence, her husband of over 34 1/2 years, her parents Cloris and Daisy Walls, brother Edward (Bobby) Walls, and sister Gloria Walls. She left to cherish her memories a daughter Michele (Derek) Roy, Son Michael (Chrissy) Tatum, sister Luverne Murphy Fryer, 5 grandchildren, Sean (Breyana) Roy, Clarence (Dashai) Roy, Amber (Terrell) Jackson Jr., Saniya Lanae Tatum, Chaya Zemira Tatum. She was blessed with 5 great grandchildren, Noah Derek Roy, Terrell Anthony Jackson, Mason Anthony Roy, Samuel Derek Jackson, Oshun Michele Roy, Sister-in-law Joyce Smith, Virginia Tatum, and a host of Nieces and Nephews.

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