Joan E. Van Roo

Joan was born on October 28, 1935, to Louis and Margaret (Burin) Mudgett, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father’s public health career and service as a Colonel in the US Army, required moves to Pittsburgh, PA; Alexandria, VA; Heidelberg, Germany (where she attended high school and was prom queen); El Paso, Texas, and San Francisco. Joan is a graduate of Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas, and obtained a MA in Theater Arts from the University of California at San Francisco.

Living most of her married life in Southeast Florida, Joan taught English at Fort Lauderdale High School for over 30 years. Joan loved to help students, whether in a remedial or Advanced Placement level, discover the art and power of literature. Her excellence in teaching was recognized with the Miami Herald Silver Knight Award, and she was selected as the University of Miami Outstanding High School Teacher of the Year. In addition to Shakespeare plays, her favorite novels in the classroom were The Power and the Glory, Wuthering Heights, and Great Expectations. She was also delighted to have a "Bible as Literature" course approved at a public school.

Joan loved to help others grow in their relationship with the Lord. She was a lector at Holy Mass and a leader of Catholic Faith and Scripture study groups at San Isidro Catholic Church in Pompano Beach, FL, St. Andrew Catholic Church in Coral Springs, FL, and later at St. Rose of Lima in Roseville, MN, where she also sang in the Funeral Schola. Joan was a lay Cistercian, and she had great devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus and love for the Blessed Mother. She led Communion Services for the residents of Rose Pointe in Roseville, MN, and spent many hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying for all souls. Always studying her Faith, she was an avid reader and listened to Relevant Radio, a Catholic radio network. One of her favorite volunteer jobs was giving tours of the majestic Cathedral of St. Paul in Minnesota. She had a big heart for supporting missions to assist Native American young people and to help those in special need - especially in South Sudan.

Joan had extraordinary love for her brother, Michael, born with cerebral palsy when she was in college. They were close friends, and Joan learned to love watching football, one of Michael's favorite pastimes.

Her interests included Louise Penny novels, British mystery television series, Jeopardy, and rescued greyhounds and pugs. Thanks to her friend, Mary, Joan was so proud of learning how to play Mahjong at age 87!

Joan is survived by daughter, Karin (Jerome) Freihammer and granddaughter JunFen Freihammer. She spent many hours with JunFen doing crafts, reading, going to the movies, and gardening. Joan was so happy to attend the recent engagement blessing and dinner of JunFen and her fiancé Dominic Vilatte. She enjoyed going on pilgrimages, watching figure skating, and attending ballet performances with Karin. Joan had great affection for her cousins, nieces, and extended family. She is preceded in death by husband Jim Van Roo and brother Michael Mudgett. Joan’s family thanks the caregivers and staff at The Landing in Wheeling, IL, for their kindness and care in her final months.

Visitation is on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker at 181 W Dundee Rd, Wheeling, IL. Joan will be interred on Aug 11 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in North Lauderdale, Florida. Memorial gifts welcomed for www.stmarysmission.org/suport-the-mission-and-school or www.relevantradio.com/support/give-now

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kraeermargate.com for the Van Roo family.