ELROY - JoAnn Mary (Finucan) Garvin of Elroy, Wisconsin passed away on May 17, 2022 at Milestone Senior Living in Hillsboro, Wisconsin.
She was born on January 25, 1936 to M. LeVerne and M. Mildred (Dutton) Finucan at the family farm outside of Kendall, Wisconsin. On December 27, 1961, JoAnn married Robert Garvin at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Kendall, Wisconsin.
Survivors include her children, Mary (Vince) Guimont, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin; John Garvin, McFarland, Wisconsin; Robert (Heidi) Garvin, Delafield, Wisconsin; Julie (Michael) Bie, Verona, Wisconsin; and Kathleen “Twink” (Peter) Helland, Madison, Wisconsin; 12 grandchildren, Natalie and Colleen Guimont; Julie and Meghan Garvin; Molly, Peter and Emily Garvin; Ellen and John Bie; and S. Peter, Mary Alice “Ali” and K. Bridget Helland, and her twin brother, Jim Finucan, Janesville, Wisconsin. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband, Robert, three brothers, John, Charles and Thomas Finucan and a sister, Lucille Finucan.
JoAnn will be remembered as a kind, loving wife, mother, grandmother and teacher. She graduated from Kendall High School in 1954. She graduated from UW-La Crosse in 1961 with a degree in Education. Upon graduation, she dedicated her professional life to teaching elementary and middle school children for over thirty-five years. She began her career teaching at elementary schools in Tomah and Hillsboro, but spent the bulk of her teaching career in the Elroy-Kendall-Wilton School District (Wilton Middle School and Elroy Primary School).
She took great pride in being a full-time mother to her five children and a full-time teacher to hundreds of students. Upon retirement, she enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and friends. Her children did not inherit her amazing ability to play the piano by ear. However, she did pass on to her children and grandchildren a strong commitment to her Catholic faith; the importance of hard work and perseverance; respect and compassion for others; and her Irish sense of humor. Family was her priority. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
JoAnn was an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church where she enjoyed helping to prepare second graders for First Communion and she spent many years as a lector.
The family wishes to thank the dedicated staff of Milestone Senior Living and St. Croix Hospice for their compassionate care of JoAnn.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 110 Spring Street, Elroy, Wisconsin on Monday, May 23, at 10:30 a.m. A visitation will be held at St. Patrick’s from 9:00 a.m. until the start of the Mass. A funeral luncheon will follow the Mass and private burial at the Catholic Cemetery in Elroy.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Picha Funeral Home, Elroy, Wisconsin, for online information go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com
Picha Funeral Home
