October 25, 1931 – May 18, 2025
With deep sadness, we announce the passing of JoAnn Wintch Otteson, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who left this earth on May 18, 2025, at the age of 93 in Draper, Utah. JoAnn was born in Tropic, Utah, on Sunday October 25, 1931, to Charles Henry Wintch and Hannah Hope Ott, the fifth of eight children. She was proud of her pioneer heritage and often spoke fondly of her small-town upbringing, where she played dolls with her sisters, helped her mother in the kitchen, and lovingly cared for her younger siblings. She grew up in Tropic and graduated from Tropic High School.
JoAnn met her future husband while both were working at Bryce Canyon. They courted there and then she married her eternal companion, Ronald J. Otteson, on December 20, 1951, in the Manti LDS Temple, and together they built a life full of love, adventure, and service. Their marriage was a partnership of true love, enduring through the years, as they raised four children: Alan (Jerry), Diana (Brian), Rob (Annette), and Karl (Julie). She was a devoted homemaker, known for her tidiness, warmth, and her incredible ability to make every house a home. The smell of fresh cinnamon rolls welcomed her children home from school during winter, a memory they hold dear. She was always up for a game of Rook with Tropic rules, or to just sit on the front porch and chat.
JoAnn had a remarkable talent for creating beautiful things. A gifted seamstress, she also crafted countless quilts and crocheted many blankets that became treasured heirlooms as she gifted most of them to her family and friends. She had a passion for genealogy and spent years compiling family histories, writing books, and gathering personal stories of her ancestors. This love of family history was one of her great joys, and her research has left a lasting legacy for future generations.
Throughout her life, JoAnn and Ron traveled extensively. Together, they visited Northern Europe, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and most of the United States, but it was Hawaii that remained her favorite destination. Whether it was on a relaxing vacation or during their Senior Mission at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii held a special place in her heart. She supported Ron in his work responsibilities as well as his church callings. Particularly, in his two callings as Bishop. She has an unwavering testimony of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
In her early years, JoAnn supported Ron through his schooling, military service, and career, often moving her family to various places, including Modesto, California; Bloomington, Indiana; Orem, Utah; Lander, Wyoming; Concord, California; and finally Holladay, Utah. After their children left home, she and Ron enjoyed the next chapter of their lives, living in Sugarhouse and Provo, Utah, and later retiring to St. George, Utah, and a cabin at Duck Creek, Utah. They eventually built a home in South Jordan, Utah, and later served a Senior Mission in Hawaii at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
JoAnn spent the last 24 years of her life at The Cottages on Kimball Lane in Draper, Utah, before moving to a care center in her final year. Her unwavering faith, strength, and love for her family sustained her through the years, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
JoAnn is survived by her loving husband Ron, her 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved deeply and served with a full heart. She is also survived by her siblings, who cherish the memories of growing up with her Mike (Judy) Wintch, Hannah (Jim) Goulding, and Sue (Royce) Griffin. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her older siblings: Kent (Betty), Mary (Milton) Wells, Dean (Erma), Jillynn (Merrill - Living) Woodbury.
Her family is comforted in knowing that JoAnn has been recently reunited with her beloved family which has already passed through the veil, and they look forward to the day when they will all be together again.
A funeral service to celebrate JoAnn’s life will be held at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Chapel, 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. A viewing and visitation with the family will take place one hour before the services beginning at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow, also at Wasatch Lawn. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a charity of their choosing.
JoAnn’s legacy of love, faith, and devotion to her family and loved ones will live on in the hearts of her family and all who had the privilege of knowing her.
