JoAnn Potter Boyle (1928-2017)

          JoAnn Potter Boyle passed away peacefully in her home on September 26, 2017 at the age of 89.

          JoAnn Frances Swift was born in Waukesha on September 14, 1928. She was the second oldest of 11 children born to James and Ruth (Anthes) Swift.

          In 1949, she married Jacob Paul “Jack” Potter. They first made their home in Chicago where their son Jack was born, and moved to Kenosha in the late 1950’s. She was widowed in 1959 with a young son and a baby on the way, but she persevered in the face of tragedy with grace and bravery.

           In 1966, she married attorney Donald Boyle. Before his death in 1983, they traveled, and JoAnn was thrilled to visit Australia, South America, Japan and the Mediterranean during their life together.

          JoAnn received her Associates degree in Library Science and spent many years working in the library ofZion-BentonHigh School. She was a voracious reader, a devout Catholic and she loved nothing more than starting a good craft project. She was very prolific with truly awful paint by number kits.

          Although she endured more than her share of loss in her lifetime, JoAnn was passionately encouraging of others. Her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and the over 40 nieces and nephews who cherished her will be forever blessed by the legacy of her selfless love and abundant generosity.

          JoAnn is survived by her son Jack Paul Potter and her daughter Patti Potter Fitchett, her three beloved grandsons; Jacob (Stacy Curtice) Potter, Ian Fitchett and Julian Fitchett, and by the great grandchildren who brought so much joy to her life; Jayden, Jacob Paul and Daphne. She is further survived by her brothers William (Karin) Swift and Thomas Swift, her sisters Kathleen Haecker and Sandra (Charles) MacLester, her sisters-in-law Lorraine Swift and Imogene Swift and her kids’ former spouses Rose and Ryland and their families, and all the friends who become family and remained family. Jo didn’t believe in ex or step or former. Once you were family, you were precious to her always.

          Preceding JoAnn in death were her parents, a sister Rosalie in childhood, four brothers; Leonard Swift, Emert “Buzz” Swift, John Swift and Philip Swift, and her sister, best friend and partner-in-crime Donna Haushalter. (How were they going to drive across the country together when neither one of them would get on I 94?)

Funeral services for JoAnn will be held on Sunday October 1, 2017 at 3:00pm at the Woman’s Club of Kenosha 6038 8th Avenue). Visitation with the family will be at the Woman’s Club from 1:30 until the time of service.

          Following the funeral, JoAnn will be cremated and her remains will be laid to rest on the grave of her husband Jack. Inurnment will be private.