Joan Marie Orth

Joan Marie Orth passed away on November 25th, 2019 in Durham, NC at the age of 80 years. She lived the last thirteen years of her life battling Parkinson’s Disease, which contributed to her death following complications from recent surgery. Joan was born on February 16th, 1939 in Racine, WI to Charles and Alice (nee Witipil) Kaisler. She is survived by her husband, John; daughter, Lisa (Ray) Mannion; sons, Peter (Heidi) and Gregory; grandchildren, Connor Orth and Ashley (Kevin) Schwartz. She is also survived by her brother, Gordon (Mary) Kaisler, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Joan married John W. Orth on August 26, 1961. Joan and John celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary in August 2019. They both celebrated their 80th birthdays surrounded by all of their children and grandchildren this past February. Joan earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1962, and a Masters Degree in Reading Sciences from Cardinal Stritch University in 1995. Joan taught 4th grade in Albuquerque, NM while John was stationed there in the US Army. Following receipt of her Masters degree, she taught at The Literacy and Math Center at Cardinal Stritch University, a specialized intense reading and literacy program for students with specialized needs. Throughout her life Joan enjoyed reading and sharing her love of reading with her students and family. Joan was a talented violinist and achieved First Violin with the Racine Symphony Orchestra in the 1950’s. Joan was a lifelong student and lover of music, which she passed on to her children and family. In 2016, Joan continued her music studies and took up the harp, an entirely new instrument to her, following a Mother’s day gift of a harp from her daughter, Lisa and son-in-law, Ray. Joan and husband, John, were long time season ticket holders for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and after retiring to Durham, the North Carolina Symphony. Joan enjoyed traveling with John and in retirement they toured Europe extensively via ocean and river cruises until her condition limited her ability to board buses and ships. Joan especially enjoyed her visits to Vienna and the Vienna Symphony. Following John’s military service, Joan and family lived in Highland Park, IL, Madison, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, and Grafton, WI before retiring to Durham, NC to be closer to their children. Joan and John have been an active part of the Carolina Arbors retirement community in Durham since 2015. Joan was an accomplished “Stitcher” throughout her life, and there is no known documentation that she ever passed up a chance to visit a needle point store. She stitched by a motto of “She with the most fiber wins.” John assures us that she was a world class contender in this contest! In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Joan Marie Orth to the Parkinson’s Foundation Carolinas Chapter: https://www.parkinson.org/Carolinas A Viewing and Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Renaissance Funeral Home. A second Viewing and Visitation will be held on Friday, December 6, 2019 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. with the Funeral Mass beginning at 3:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church.

Joan Marie Orth

February 16, 1939 - November 25, 2019