GRAASKAMP, Joanne S., age 86

Died: Saturday, January 4th, 2020

Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 10, 2020 at Christ Church Cathedral with the Very Reverend H. Scott Kirby officiating

Visitation: 9:00 a.m. until time of service at church

Interment: Forest Hill Cemetery, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to either the:
Graaskamp Family Fund at the Eau Claire Community Foundation (https://eccfwi.org/funds/charles-joanne-graaskamp-fund/)
or Christ Church Cathedral.

Joanne S. Graaskamp, age 86, of Eau Claire passed away on Saturday, January 4, 2020 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire surrounded by her loving family.

Joanne was born on August 21, 1933 to the late Raymond and Mary (Singleton) Stearns in Philadelphia, PA. Her family moved to Hastings-on-Hudson in New York. She attended Colby College in Waterville, ME.

On March 8, 1958 she married Charles F. Graaskamp at St. Joseph of Arimathea Episcopal Church in Elmsford, New York. In 1959, she and Charles moved to Eau Claire where Charles started working for the Atkinson/Graaskamp owned Leader Telegram and they raised their family. She and Charles traveled the world with the Inland Press Association seeing sights in China, Kenya and Eastern Europe to name a few.

Both Joanne and Charles were members of the Society of Founders, which established the Eau Claire Community Foundation. Joanne was also a Founder and member of the Foundation's Women's Giving Circle.

Joanne loved painting, sewing, knitting, reading (was a member of a book club), playing golf and tennis and collecting art and antiques. Neighborhood family bonds grew into coffee and gourmet groups whose friendships lasted her whole life long. She was a member of Christ Church Cathedral for over fifty years and served on the Altar Guild.

Above all, Joanne loved her family. She spent summers up at the cottage surrounded by kids and grandkids, playing croquet and cards and taking cocktail cruises on the pontoon boat.

She is survived by son, Pieter (Julie) Graaskamp of Eleva; daughter, Carolyn (Mike) Carlson of Eau Claire; son, Dan (Mary) Graaskamp of Eau Claire; grandchildren, Nathan and Anna Graaskamp, Sara and Emily Carlson, Catie Carlson-Prueher (Allen), Charley, Sam and Molly Graaskamp; brother-in-law, John (Vicki) Graaskamp; cousin, David W. Singleton and his family; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Joanne was preceded in death by her husband, Charles in 2013.