Jody (JoAnn) Sebesta Atwood March 17, 1933 - December 7, 2021
earned Masters’ degrees in Music Education, Cello Performance and Business Administration.
Jody was a PEO sister for 70 years, starting at the age of 18 in Pocatello, ID. Approximately 40 of those years were with the PEO Florida Chapter AO.
She took pride in being a member of the national board for American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and served 2 terms as president of the Florida ASTA Chapter. She co-established the South Florida Annual Cellobration in 1991. JoAnn was cellist and first board president for the Alhambra Orchestra, performed with the Sunrise Theater Orchestra and also a cellist for Ares Flores Orchestra all located in South Florida.
Jody had a career in music publishing which culminated as the Director of Advertising for Columbia Pictures Publishing/Warner Brothers Music.
In 1985, she published a book called “Only on Key Biscayne… the special life” which is writings pulled from her Key’n Observations column for the Key Biscayne Islander News where she was also their music reviewer.
She took great pride in being the editor of the ASTA magazine. She went to great lengths finding the artwork for the cover and made tremendous efforts to open doors for young musicians. Jody took great pride in her mentoring and we believe that at the end of her life, in retrospect, teaching music was her greatest passion.
Jody lived in Idaho, Vermont, Indiana, Texas, Puerto Rico, Florida and Colorado. Some places were home from childhood, with her family and ex-husband (Donald Keith Atwood) and on her own building a successful career and personal life.
Jody is survived by her brother Paul Dick Sebesta and her 4 children and spouses Michael and Lisa Atwood, Janet and José Linares, Daniel and Peggy Atwood and Sarah and Robert Lojko.
She is also survived by 6 grandchildren.
We will all miss Mom, Grandma, Mimi, Grammy, Jody, JoAnn and Doña Jody. We will remember her gentle touch and kindness. We will rejoice when we hear the cello and think of how this amazing woman resonated through all our lives.