JoAnn H. Bolitho, 92, passed away on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Port Charlotte, Florida. JoAnn was born in Jewett, Ohio, graduated from Coshocton High School and received her nursing degree from Bethesda School of Nursing in Zanesville, Ohio.  She worked in the operating room at Bethesda Hospital for two years.

She joined the United States Air Force Nurse Corp. in 1958.  Her first assignment was at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California as an Operating Room Nurse.  It was then off to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany for three years.  There she was responsible for various types of nursing intervention.  She and her friend purchased a micro-midget race car and were the only two women on the racing circuit.  JoAnn ran the 50 lap races, and her friend ran the 20 lappers.

Back to the States she was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas where she worked in the Operating Room and attended Flight School.  JoAnn spent one year on Recruiting in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Not one of her best assignments.  She much preferred nursing duties.

JoAnn spent two years as a military flight nurse in Vietnam transporting wounded servicemen in a C-141 aircraft from Vietnam to Japan or the Philippines and then on to Hawaii or Alaska and eventually Travis Air Force Base.  It was then back to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines to repeat the same aeromedical evacuation of 30-40 (one flight had 88) patients per flight accompanied by 2 nurses and 3 aeromedical evacuation technicians.

Following Vietnam, JoAnn’s duties included nursing at Langley Air Force Base in Norfolk, Virginia, Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota and F. E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Lieutenant Colonel JoAnn H. Bolitho retired following 20 years from the United States Air Force Nurse Corps in 1978.

JoAnn loved her military career in the USAF.  She was a wonderful teacher, especially with junior nurses and technicians.  She had the opportunity to travel to 25 countries throughout the world as well as exploring the United States.  She enjoyed fishing, gardening, and RVing.

Lieutenant Colonel Bolitho was loved and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Services will be held at Sarasota National Cemetery on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 1:30 PM.

Friends may visit online at www.robersonfh.com to extend condolences to the family. Arrangements by Roberson Funeral Home & Crematory Port Charlotte Chapel.