Joanna L. Fay
Joanna L. Fay, age 68, of Fond
du Lac, passed away at Kathy Hospice in West Bend, WI, on Monday, September 9,
2019. She was born on May 8, 1951, in DeKalb, IL., the youngest of eight children
born to Wilder and Martha (Johnson) Fay. She spent her childhood years on the
family farm in Waterman, IL. Joanna was a graduate of Waterman High School in
Waterman, IL. She furthered her education at Northern Illinois University in
DeKalb, IL, receiving a BS in Education in 1969 and later received a master’s
degree in Outdoor Education followed by numerous other advanced classes in
education.
Joanna taught fifth grade in
North Fond du Lac, WI, for thirty-eight years. She spent one of those years in
a teacher exchange program in Australia. In addition to her year in Australia,
she was able to travel overseas during her summer breaks. Joanna loved
traveling and was able to visit all fifty states.
She was a member of Grace
Evangelical Free Church in Fond du Lac, WI. She was also a charter member of
Alpha Delta Kappa, and educator’s sorority; Fond du Lac Area Retired Teacher’s Association,
founder of NFDL School’s Kettle Moraine Fifth Grade Camps; Wild Cucumbers of
Clinton township and a gracious donor of the NFDL Adopt-a-Family Christmas
Program; Member of North Fond du Lac Education Association and member of the
Fond du Lac Area Foundation. Among her other
volunteer works she included EAA activities and the Treffert Center. She was one
of the owners of Fay’s Pork Chop Bar-B-Que located in Waterman, IL, a family
catering business that started when she was 10 years old.
She was the adored youngest sister
of four sisters and three brothers. The survivors include Jackie Fay of Akron,
OH, Jane (Dwayne Schmaltz) Fay, Robert (Nina) Fay of Colorado Springs, CO,
Marcia (Bob) Dempsey of Waterman, IL, Linda West of Onalaska, WI, J. Thomas (Anna)
Fay of Coronado, CA and James (Ginger) Fay of Waterman, IL. There are sixteen
nieces and nephews who dearly loved Aunt Joanna. They are Gregory (Diane)
Strong, Davin Strong, Terry (Andrea) Fay, Sarah (Eric) Wardell, Krista (Craig)
Mulligan, Diane (Ryan) Tinsley, Carol West, Kelly (Adam) Reddatz, John Fay,
Natalie (David) Viani, Nathan (Esther) Fay, Emily (Andrew) Scafidi, Karrie Mason,
Jonathan (Cristen) Fay, Anna Fay, Heather (Leo) Mporokoso. Also, her much loved
great nieces and nephews; Deborah Ortiz, Jason Smith, Amanda Hayes, Jonathan
Strong, Grace, Carley and Connor Fay, Evan, Daniel and Ellah Wardell, Kailey,
Courtney and Kelsey Mulligan, Ethan, Logan and Leia Tinsley, William and Wyatt
West, Hudson and Cooper Fay, Ashlyn and Juliana Viani, Timothy and Zeta Fay,
Gavin, Aidan and Devan Scafidi, Adrianna, Micah and Samuel Sprinkle, Cheyenne
Fay, Dameon and Cameron Mporokoso, and several great-great-nieces and nephews. Other
survivors include the children of Dwayne Schmaltz: Jon (Mary), Gretchen (Mark),
Bill (Sharon), Holly (Jerry).
In addition to her family, her
legacy is her friends. She had many and they continued to support her throughout
her years. She loved books and school supplies. She was a great storyteller and
enjoyed laughter with her friends, family and students. She was a creative
crafter. She was a lifelong Cub fan, an ardent Packer-backer having attended
the Super Bowl and the Hall of Fame Induction for Brett Favre, and was a loyal
Badgers fan.
Visitation will take place on
Saturday, September 14, 2019, from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM at Grace Evangelical
Free Church, 163 E. 18th Street, Fond du Lac, WI 54935. A funeral
service will follow the visitation on Saturday at the church at 2:00 PM. A luncheon
will follow the service at the church.
Visitation will also take place
on Sunday, September 15, 2019, from 1-2 PM at Nash-Nelson Memorial Chapels,
1001 E. Garfield St, Waterman, IL, 60556. A funeral service will follow the visitation
at 2:00 PM with a luncheon to follow. Private family burial will take place at
North Clinton Cemetery in Waterman, IL.
Additional information and
guestbook can be found by visiting ueckerwitt.com