Joanne Ruth Lake

Joanne Ruth Lake, 84, of Springfield, passed away on December 14, 2022 at Springfield Memorial Hospital. She was born on April 10, 1938 in Plymouth, Wisconsin to Vernon Zimmerman and Ruth Beisser. Joanne married Dr. Thomas Lake on June 6, 1960 in Appleton, Wisconsin and he preceded her in death on May 3, 2021.

Joanne is survived by two sons: Paul (Stephanie) Lake of Rochester and Greg (Jane) Lake of Waunakee, Wisconsin; six grandchildren: Jackson, Ian, Alex, Max, Eleanor and Clara; one great-grandchild Finley and one great-grandchild on the way; two brothers: Jim and John Zimmerman; and one sister, Lois Lind.

A voracious reader and lifetime learner, Joanne graduated from Appleton High School in 1956 and as co-valedictorian from Beloit College in 1960 alongside her future husband Tom. Joanne went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Minnesota in 1964 and a second Master’s Degree in Art from Illinois State University in 1978, finding time to be the lead actress in plays at Sangamon State University and raising two young boys.

Joanne acquired her passion for nature and empathy for the animals early on from her father, a high school biology teacher. Having moved to Springfield in 1970, many knew her as the “duck lady” feeding ducks in Washington Park for 50 years, periodically doing animal triage in the garage or backyard. She supported many environmental causes and became an expert gardener, spending endless hours gardening in later years both in Springfield and at the Cabin in Minnesota.

Joanne loved the arts and excelled as an artist. She exhibited at the annual Capitol City Art Fair for more than a decade. She paid it forward, demonstrating art techniques as an elementary school volunteer and teaching LLCC art outreach classes for several years. She mastered any artistic medium she attempted. Her artistic exploration led to applying many of those media to eggs, large and small. Of her many accomplishments, being mother and grandmother may have been her greatest. Joanne will be deeply missed by all that knew her, human and creature alike.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Joanne’s name to:

The Xerces Society, P.O. Box 97387, Washington D.C., 20090-7387 (online: https://xerces.org/donate); or, to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 (online: https://give.birds.cornell.edu/page/39428/donate/1?locale=en-US)

Friends and family are encouraged to share their memories of Joanne online. Please visit the Bisch memorial page on-line at: www.bischfuneralhomewest.com.

Cremation rites were accorded. The family will host a memorial gathering at a later date in 2023.