JoAnn E. Brown

JoAnn E. Brown, age 81 years, a resident of Belknap, Illinois, passed away Wednesday morning, February 14, 2024, at 7:30 A.M. at the Ray and Kay Eckstein Hospice Care Center in Paducah, Kentucky. JoAnn was born May 2, 1942 in Mt. Vernon, Indiana. She was the second of three children born to Frank Dick, Sr. and Julia (Holzgrebe) Dick. On November 23, 1961, JoAnn was united in marriage to Glenn Brown at St. Catherine Catholic Church at Grand Chain, Illinois. He survives. In addition to her husband, JoAnn is survived by: a daughter – Deborah Brown of Belknap; 2 grandsons – Collin Brown and Ethan Artis both of Belknap; a sister – Helen (Jim) Suttner of Ridgway; and nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, JoAnn was preceded in death by her brother – Frank Dick, Jr. JoAnn was a graduate of Matre Dei High School in Mt. Vernon, Indiana. She was employed as a medical transcriber at St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights and later she worked at Beecher Nursing Home. JoAnn also worked for a time as a field secretary for Campbell Construction Company. JoAnn was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoyed flower gardening, yard work, helping on the farm and tending to livestock. JoAnn was also a skilled quilter and enjoyed sewing. She and Glenn traveled extensively and had visited 45 of the 50 United States as well as a number of foreign countries. JoAnn also enjoyed boating. She is fondly remembered for her love for her family, particularly her grandsons. JoAnn was a ‘giver.’ She dedicated her life to helping others. She was very community minded and volunteered at Faith Alive, the Vienna Area Ministerial Alliance thrift store. She had also been a 4-H leader and was a member of the former Belknap Branch of the Johnson County Homemaker’s Extension. JoAnn was a parishioner of St. Paul Catholic Church near Vienna. She had formerly taught a Sunday School class. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday morning, February 19, 2024, at 11 A.M. at St. Paul Catholic Church, 2020 Illinois Route 146 East, Vienna, Illinois. Father Christian Iwuagwu will officiate. A eulogy will be delivered by Father Tom Barrett. Burial will be in the West Eden Cemetery near Cypress, Illinois. A prayer service will be conducted Sunday afternoon, February 18, 2024, at 4 P.M. at Bailey Funeral Home in Vienna. The visitation will begin immediately following the prayer service and continue until 7 P.M. A further time of visitation will be held Monday morning, February 19, 2024, from 10 A.M. until the service time at 11 A.M. at St. Paul Catholic Church. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905 or to St. Paul Catholic Church, 2020 State Route 146 East, Vienna, Illinois 62995.

JoAnn E. Brown

May 2, 1942 - February 14, 2024