A graveside service and burial will be held at Washingtonville Cemetery on Wednesday, June 5th at 1 PM. 36 North St. Washingtonville, NY 10992. In lieu of flowers, in Joan's name donations can be made to the Blooming Grove Humane Society.
Joan's devotion to her family and her firm belief in God supported her throughout her life. Joan was born to the late Marilyn and William Jacob on February 1, 1953. A beautiful and confident woman of many talents, she was a prize winning baton twirler at Pearl River high school and was often approached about starting a potential modeling career. She married Ronald Joseph Russo (deceased) and together they had son Ronny Russo and daughter Stefanie Russo who lives in Wisconsin and Florida. After that, Joan got her florist license and worked at the Flower Peddler in Nanuet in the early 80s and opened up her own floral business called "Forget Me Not Flowers" in the mid-1980's. She lived most of her life in Rockland and Orange Counties, New York. She went on to work at Nyack Hospital as a food service provider for a time. She later married Douglas Hoffman and had her daughter Brittney Hoffman, of Cornwall, NY to whom she was devoted.
Joan was a prolific writer who enjoyed poetry and was often found working on new poems. She also loved to play the guitar, tambourine and singing. Music was always one of her great passions, especially seeing live concerts. An accomplished baker, she made the best cheesecake and walnut balls ever at Christmas time! She was very proud of her German heritage and enjoyed spaetzle and other German specialties as well as all ice cream. Joan particularly enjoyed going antiquing with Brittney. She was also very passionate about animals and loved all four-legged creatures, especially her dog "children" Oliver, Lily, Tiger and cat "daughter" Keewee. Joan always considered herself a non-conformist and she was definitely one of a kind, with a tremendous sense of humor - for which she was much beloved.
Joan faced many struggles and challenges throughout her life but always overcame them, from which Brittney takes great inspiration.
Joan's family also includes her loving brother Robert (Bobby) Jacob and sister-in-law Jan of Wisconsin and loving sister Nancy Mitts and brother-in-law Ande Lee Mitts and also includes nephew Ande William Mitts and his wife Marianne, as well as niece Melissa Blaszczyk-Brewer and several grand nieces and nephews. She also had many friends to whom she was very dear. Another important influence on her life was Grace Community church with their relatable services with a live band and great music. She also especially enjoyed the music of gospel music singer Guy Penrod.
A graveside service and burial will be held at Washingtonville Cemetery on Wednesday, June 5th at 1 PM. 36 North St. Washingtonville, NY 10992.
In lieu of flowers, in Joan's name we would ask for donations to be made to the Blooming Grove Humane Society.
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