Joanne Marie Neil

Joanne Marie Neil, age 94 from Canton passed away peacefully on March 25, 2024.  Joanne was known for her vivacious personality and fierce loyalty to all she knew.  She was a force!

Joanne was born in Denver, Colorado on March 11, 1930 to the late Herbert Washburn and Jennie (née O’Toole) Jensen. She is survived by her loving family including daughters Helen (Tom) Frederickson, Jeanine (Chris) Raquet and Margaret (Jim) Kolb; grandchildren Neil (Brittany Vernier) Frederickson, Laura (Anthony) Tonge, Danielle Raquet and Hailey Kolb; great-granddaughters Piper and Willa Tonge; beloved nieces Teresa Fisher and Mary (Carl) Cox, and several other nieces and nephews; sister-in-law Mary (Neil) Haas and brother-in-law Don Wood.  Joanne was preceded in death by her husband Robert who passed in 2020, her parents, her daughters Mary Jo and infant Bridget, and her sister Charlene.

Joanne grew up in Denver and graduated from Holy Family High School.  She attended Loretta Heights College in Denver, becoming the first in her family to obtain a college degree.  Later in life, Joanne earned a Master’s degree in Arts in Education from Northern Michigan University.  

After graduating from Loretta Heights, Joanne accepted a teaching position in Climax, Colorado where she met and married Bob in 1957.  They relocated to Iron River, Michigan where Bob began a career in mining safety that also took them to White Pine, Michigan, Ishpeming, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio.  As she raised her family, Joanne was very active in her community with leadership roles in the church, the school board, the PTA and women’s organizations.  In November 2017, Bob and Joanne moved to Waltonwood Cherry Hill Independent Living in Canton to be closer to family.

 Joanne had an unmatched zest for life.  She was a thespian at heart who entertained the troops creating skits and bursting into impromptu song.  She was known for her steadfast support of her children, family and friends, and made a positive difference wherever she went.

A service celebrating Joanne’s life will be held at Saint Thomas a’Becket church in Canton on May 7, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.  A family burial will take place this summer in Iron River, Michigan.  In honor of a life well led, in lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Macular Degeneration Research Fund.