Joan Marie Horak was born in Vandergrift, PA on March 24, 1941 and died on March 1, 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents Frederick V. Horak and Gerttrude T. (nee Kreuz) and is survived by her brothers and sisters in-law and their children; Frederick J. and (Joan) of Gettysburg, PA and their children James and Ingrid and Dr. Richard D. and (Ellen) of DePere, WI and their children David, Bradley, Paul, Rick and Ann Marie; Thomas R. and Maureen Mcgrath and their children William and Regina. Joan graduated from Divine Savior high school located in Milwaukee, Wi in 1959, she was the class valedictorian and she won the Ford Motor national essay competition. Along with scholarship money the first place prize also included her first airplane trip to the Ford Motor's headquarters in Detroit, MI. While at Divine Savior Joan studied French and majored in French, education and the liberal arts as she matriculated through Marquette University. Her fluency in French provided her the opportunity to become a chaperone for the American Field Service escorting groups of French students while doing summer tours of The United States, she acted as a chaperone for 4 years. Joan graduated from Marquette University in 1963 with a BA Maxima cum Laude. While at Marquette she was a member of Chi Sigma Chi sorority and was also a member of the U.S. Army in-active ready reserve. Joan continued her education at the University of Michigan earning her MSW with Maxima cum Laude. She started her career with the Milwaukee Public School system. She believed in serving the children and the families of Milwaukee and was highly regarded for her work. Joan believed in education and when teaching or working with the children and their families it was always with a smile, the best way to teach and help, with a smile. Joan had a horrible accident at her home in 1981 resulting from a cardiac event which caused serious brain and physical injuries. During her 40 years at Rennes Health Care in De Pere, WI she maintained a wonderful sense of humor and her laugh could be heard echoing in the day rooms, the halls and at the dinner table. As before her accident she gave life her best effort, a life lesson for all. Our sincere appreciation and thanks goes to all those at Rennes Health Care in De Pere, WI for the almost 40 years of excellent health care and attentiveness which Joan received.