Jo Moon 1964–2016
Erica Smith
Jo Moon (also Monks) was a storyteller and therapist. She left Hastings about four years ago to start a new life in a community in Somerset. Sadly, about two years ago she discovered she had breast cancer and, in true Jo style, decided to treat it using alternative therapies. She was fighting the illness and was determined to live till the very end. Unfortunately circumstances around her made it too difficult to carry on and she left this world last month. Her funeral was on 28 October.
I found out about Jo’s death through Emily Johns. Emily’s aunt, Sarah Evans, lives in the house in Carisbrooke Road that Jo used to live in. Last week she hosted a day for friends of Jo’s to remember her. I am sure there are still many people in Hastings who knew Jo, but haven’t yet heard the sad news, and I felt it would be a good idea to pay a short tribute to her in Hastings Online Times.
When I first met Jo she was making films and used to enter the Hastings Film Challenge. She was also a storyteller and worked on a very psychic level. I remember a Hastings Creatives networking meeting in 2011 when she explained how she tells her stories with the help of angels. She was sitting next to a very upright graphic designer. Afterwards I asked the designer if he had felt uncomfortable. He smiled and said he’d enjoyed Jo’s contribution. He described her as ‘good local colour’. Since then, I’ve always thought of Jo as ‘good local colour’. I don’t think she would mind that description – colour was important to Jo.
Jo was also a keen Freecycler and I remember passing a giant tent gleaned from Glastonbury onto her. It was so big I used to call it Buckingham Palace. Some time after I gave it to her, she emailed me: “Just to let you know that the orange and turquoise tent was fantastic at the Green Gathering! It is the first time I have used it. I had to scrap my van before we went away and as a result I could not take my yurt as I would normally do. The tent was not too heavy to carry on a coach and it made the perfect space for storytelling! People seemed to love the environment and there was plenty of space for a small group. It was light because of the colours and generally spacious.” I’m glad the tent found its purpose with Jo.
I am sure other people have Jo memories to share. Please feel free to add them as comments under this article.
I asked Jo’s friend Jabeen in Somerset how she would like to be remembered. She said that Jo would like donations to go to Penny Brohn Cancer Help Centre – this is the place that helped her the most.
You may want to explore Jo’s Blogspot and WordPress blogs, and her YouTube channel.
Jo Moon: A photo Jo sent to friend, Zelly Restorick about a year ago.
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4 Comments
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Dear Val and Duncan,
Thank you for your comment. I still speak to Jo in the ethernet, especially when walking on the East Hills, which was a special place for Jo when she lived in this area. Her spirit lives on.
All good wishes,
Zelly Restorick
Comment by Zelly Restorick — Wednesday, Sep 12, 2018 @ 08:29
I have only just seen this after doing a search for Jo.
We left Hastings for France in 1012 and had seen Jo 2 or 3 times when back visiting UK but wondered why we hadn’t heard from her for a while – time goes so fast as you get older I didn’t realise how long it had been!
So sorry to hear of the death of such a gentle soul. RIP Jo from Val and Duncan x
Comment by Val Joy — Tuesday, Sep 11, 2018 @ 12:48
Thanks for the obituary Erica. I was very sad to hear of Jo´s death. Although we were miles apart in many ways, e.g. spiritual worldview, I always got on very well with Jo and enjoyed her company. She seemed to me a very pure soul out of place in a hard and dirty world. Her calmness and quietness touched me many times.
Comment by Patrick Nicholson — Sunday, Nov 27, 2016 @ 21:26
Thank you Erica for publishing this piece on Jo – and offering us the chance to write something too.
Jo was one of those people who ‘stood out’ for me, right from the time I first saw her, which was a while before we actually spoke to each other.
A very determined and courageous person, not afraid to stand up for what she believed in and cared about: health and healing beyond the accepted medical sphere; the welfare of non human living souls; clean air and water; the benefits of healthy food; a world free of toxins and poisons; inclusivity; alternative therapy for all people who would want it; nature – she loved the East Hills of Hastings and the Tor in Glastonbury; the healing power and vital necessity of natural areas for the health and sanity of us all.
She was 100% committed to her vision for a kinder, more caring and compassionate human race where all living souls would live more in balance, harmony and alignment.
I enjoyed talking to Jo, when we crossed paths, either by accident or plan – and we continued to stay in touch via email when she moved to Somerset.
From the time of her cancer diagnosis, she could not have done more to prove that she wanted to live: her commitment to the various intense healing regimes was amazing to me – and she believed wholeheartedly that she would survive this experience, even up until the end, I believe.
She was hugely grateful for the incredible help and support offered to her by those involved in her care, an incredible team of individuals who gave of their time and energy and love.
Jo was a kind and gentle soul, highly sensitive – and one of those people who had great concern for the destruction and poisoning of the world we inhabit by those seeking wealth, power and status at others’ expense.
Her energy and aspirations live on.
Comment by Zelly Restorick — Wednesday, Nov 23, 2016 @ 13:02