Jo Interrante

Jo Interrante left us on April 15, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. She was accompanied by family, recollections of her cherished loved ones, and talk of many lifetime memories.

She was born Ann Lillian Goodfleisch on July 22, 1943 to Col Don M Goodfleisch and Lillian Margaret “Peggy” Ray in Cleveland, Ohio. A leader from the start, she was the oldest of 5.

In Dallas, Texas, Jo first took flight as a proud Braniff Airways flight attendant, graduating class of 1963. Influenced by her father at home and her college days at the University of Texas, she would soon pivot into her lifelong role as a writer. But not before she threw her talents and love straight into music, managing Paul Ray’s blues band “1948,” and attending the full three-day festival at Woodstock in 1969. She worked as a music director and weekend news anchor at KVIL and KNUS for years and then in 1973 left Dallas with her family, husband Ross Interrante, son Christopher and daughter Keith and moved to San Francisco in 1973. She continued her career in news with much recognition and was promoted to news director at the Big 610, KFRC. Recognizing the importance of her position, Jo played a role in the innovative transformation of news and information as delivered on-air, relating to a younger smarter audience. This is when she began her undying love of radio and the people whom she always felt honored to work with. During this time she was honored with an invitation to the White House to a meet with President Jimmy Carter for a national editors and news directors briefing in the cabinet room.

As one of the first women broadcasting news on radio, but mainly as a bright visionary, she had more glass ceilings left to smash in New York City where she headed up and co-founded the first satellite network, RKO Radio Network in 1979.

Unstoppable, Jo Interrante continued to blaze a trail back to the Bay Area where in 1981 she also created IS INC, a music radio show production company in Mill Valley with her then husband Rob Sisco. Herself a bright light, she relished shining the spotlight on others through their own words and talent, pulling the biggest and many current music stars down closer to the ears and hearts of Americans coast to coast. She also relished her daily doses of Diet Dr Pepper of which she owned stock in the company.

Jo Interrante left Mill Valley in 1993 to return to Texas with the love of her life, Leon Wink Whitehouse. They lived happily, enjoyed their children and grandchildren, road trips and tofu dogs. Jo was soon commissioned an Honorary Texan by the state’s governor, Ann Richards. Jo joined the KRLD news team, and was a long-time director at ABC Radio Network/ Disney. Adding to her awards, she became an inductee to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2008.

In 2011 Jo was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia with Aphasia. The long and slow dismantling of her brain function was the most difficult decade and a half to witness. Jo had many happy moments, she kept her humor and was beautiful until the end.

Jo is preceded in death by her brothers, Jon Goodfleisch of Austin, Don Goodfleisch of Ohio, her mother and father Col Don M Goodfleisch and Lillian Margaret Ray of San Antonio, her husband Leon Wink Whitehouse of Dallas and her granddaughter Lela Vrindavan Interrante of Dallas.

Jo leaves her sisters Gretchen Reed of Austin, and Leigh and husband Travis Sebera of Dripping Springs. She leaves her son Christopher Interrante and wife Christine of Wheeling WV. She leaves Stacy Summers of Dallas. She leaves her daughter Keith Interrante and son-in-law Mark Komater of San Francisco. She leaves her stepdaughters Kyle Whitehouse of Corvallis and Anna Luke and husband Brian Bartee of Lorton VA and their children. She leaves Bridgette Reed, John Robert Reed and his wife Sarah Woods Reed, Marlene Goodfleisch and Margeaux and her husband Jon Oswald of Austin and their children Daisy, William and Lucy. She also leaves her grandchildren Ian Arjuna Interrante of Dallas, Cassady Blue Komater and Blake Anthony Komater of San Francisco. She leaves behind beloved Sicilian family members, both Interrantes and Mentesanas.

A celebration of life for Jo Interrante will take place in person and on Zoom, Saturday July 22 in Austin, Texas. You will find the zoom link on Facebook.

A donation can be made in her memory to the outstanding, devoted and dedicated care team at The Family’s Choice, 1701 N Collins Blvd, Suite 140 Richardson, Texas 75080 Through Zelle: ZJM Enterprises, Inc. zmmbifwa@gmail.com“>zmmbifwa@gmail.com“>zmmbifwa@gmail.com“>zmmbifwa@gmail.com