JoAnn Boyda

A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 26th from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM with a Time of Sharing at 5:30 PM at Marsh Funeral Home, 305 N. Cemetery Road, Gurnee. Interment will be held on Friday, March 27th at 10:30 AM at Ascension Catholic Cemetery, Libertyville.

JoAnn was born on August 5, 1953 in Hamilton, Ohio, to Joseph and Lorrain (nee Doran) Boyda. The family moved frequently, following Joseph's US Navy deployments. Her family finally settled to the Waukegan area in the 1960’s. It was there JoAnn spent her formative years with her younger sister Bev and many cousins from the Chicagoland area and Cleveland.

After high school and during her time working with Ace Hardware in Waukegan, JoAnn took on an Apprenticeship with the Society of Architectural Hardware Consultants in Chicago. She continued her studies at both the College of Lake County, and Barat College while also working at the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President with Edward Stauber Wholesale Hardware. It was during this time that she started volunteering with Big Brothers/Big Sister in Lake County, assisting with things like Fundraising and Logistics for events, and serving as a Board Member and Chairperson for the organization.

In search of a change, JoAnn moved to the Cincinnati Ohio Area for several years to hone her merchandising and managerial skills. Soon thereafter, she returned to the Waukegan area to help care for family. It was at this time she took on a role with the Waukegan Port District. There, she worked on special projects and customer service as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director until 1992 when she returned to Stauber Hardware as the Purchasing Manager. She also began volunteering with the Variety Club Children’s Charities in Chicago, coordinating day-of logistics for the yearly Children’s Carnival.

In her personal life, JoAnn was the central hub of communication for her family. She was impeccably organized, always concerned for others, and kept in touch with everyone no matter where they moved. She was an excellent road trip companion who enjoyed traveling around the United States with both family and friends. JoAnn’s home was always the holiday destination, regularly decorated with handcrafted centerpieces and trinkets reflecting the season and occasion. She was a foodie who enjoyed researching and trying different restaurants. She had the ability to always establish an elevated elegance for a gathering, regardless of the budget. JoAnn found long-lasting friendships with the women she met through her activities, annually traveling to Lake Geneva to spend time with the group.

She will always be remembered for her caring nature and for trying to help ensure everyone around her knew her support and guidance was never far away.

She is survived by her sister, Beverly Margaret Whitney (nee Boyda), nephew Michael Aaron Whitney, and many of her cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph George Boyda and mother, Lorraine Mary Doran.