Joan H. Hoppe

Joan (Hillenbrand) Hoppe passed away on March 10, 2024 from natural causes. She was born in Spring Green, Wisconsin, on July 16, 1922, to Dr. Henry and Clara (Brechtl) Hillenbrand. When she was five years old, the family moved to the Sauk City and Prairie Du Sac area where she attended Catholic grade school and graduated from Sauk-Prairie High School in 1940. In high school she played flute in the band and orchestra. She also took piano lessons and won many awards at recitals.

She enrolled in the University of Wisconsin in Madison and graduated in 1944 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduation, she was employed in Madison at the U.S Armed Forces Institute where she did secretarial work. The institute provided servicemen and women with high school and college correspondence courses. She met her husband Donald J. Hoppe at the university where he was attending college after serving in WWII. They were married on December 27, 1947. They lived in Madison, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Virginia where he served in the Army Reserves. In 1955 they settled in Crystal Lake.

Joan was a founding member of the Crystal Lake branch of the American Association of University Women in 1956. She attended study groups and worked on many fundraising activities for the scholarship fund and other causes of the chapter.

During the 80's and 90's Joan and Don traveled all over the U.S, Canada and Bermuda, as Don was a financial writer and was a popular speaker at conventions. When he retired from speaking engagements, they made two trips to Europe. Don started writing a financial newsletter that they published by themselves for 17 years. Joan continued her secretarial duties and bookkeeping. In later years, she liked nothing better than family holiday parties. She loved going for rides in the surrounding area, especially by the lake. She was a philanthropist and donated to many worthy causes. Joan was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church of Crystal Lake.

She is survived by her daughter Bonnie (Glen) Golz; her 3 grandchildren Christina (Eric) Schubert, Eric Golz, and Ryan Golz; and her 3 great-grandchildren Travix Schubert, Jillian Golz, and Curtis Schubert.

A visitation will be held Thursday, March 14, 2024 from 1030am until 12pm at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Funeral services to immediately follow. Interment to take place at Crystal Lake Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Paralyzed Vets, ASPCA, Catholic Charities, and St. Joseph's Indian School.