Joan ‘JoAnne’ N. Schaal
Joan “JoAnne” N. Schaal, 87, was promoted to glory on Oct. 11, 2022. Joanne was born on April 13, 1935, in Bloomington, the daughter of Chester L. and Lucille M. (Orr) Nicholls. She married the love of her life, Ronald L. Schaal, Sr. on May 9, 1952 and started their family. In their nearly 69 years of marriage, they gave all their loving energy to raising Ron Jr., Milton, and Cindy. Ron Sr. preceded her to Heaven on April 9, 2021. She was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Mom (aka “The Card Lady”) loved writing cards and letters to family and friends. They were always commenting on what a good and frequent letter writer she was. She enjoyed puttering around the yard with her flowers, scrap booking, and being with family and friends. The Salvation Army was her mainstay. Her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was the light of her life. She and her mother (Lucy) were Soldiers at the Salvation Army Corps of Dubuque beginning in the 1940’s when Chet “Pop” and Lucy “Gram” moved to Dubuque for employment opportunities. She was a leader there in many positions. She followed her mother as “Home League Secretary”, a women’s group there. Joanne and Ron Sr. enjoyed camping at Lake Joy Campground, where they spent summers with their camper friends. They eventually moved their campers to their land in Millville Township, Grant County, where they spent time in “God’s Country” with family and friends, and where their daughter, Cindy and her husband reside, and where they brought up their children.
Those left to celebrate her memory are her children, Ron Jr. (Ann) and Cindy (Gary) Stoney; grandchildren, Jason (Heather Delacruz & daughter Izzy) Schaal, Art (Tammy) Stoney, Amy (Adam) Leeser and Dawn Schaal; great-grandchildren, David, Daniel, and Milana Schaal;
In addition to her husband, she was preceded to glory by her son, Milton; her daughter-in-law, Dorothy; her parents; and her father and mother-in-law, Roy and Alice (Greenwood) Schaal.
Funeral Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 JFK Road., and will be live-streamed at www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com. Burial will be in Linwood Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 3 - 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, and from 9 - 9:45 a.m. Saturday, at the funeral home. Joanne’s family would like to thank Director Carol Sheets and all the staff at “The Rose of Dubuque” for the past year. Mom made friends there enjoying their friendship and company. We would also like to thank family, neighbors, and all her caring friends. Her life will be fondly remembered and treasured.
