Joan Schwade
October 2, 1931 ~ July 28, 2015
Joan M. Schwade age 83 of Protivin died Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at the Hawkeye Care Center in Cresco.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 1, 2015, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Protivin, with Rev. Nick March celebrating the Mass. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
Friends may greet the family 4:00 -8:00 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2015, at Hugeback's Protivin Funeral Home where there will be a 4:00 p.m. rosary and a 7:30 p.m. parish scripture service. Visitation continues beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Joan Marie Schwade was born October 2, 1931, in Ossian, IA, the daughter of Alphonso and Amelia (Herold) Wiltgen. She received her education in Ossian and graduated from St. Francis DeSales High School in 1948. Following high school, Joan went to work in Cedar Rapids for the Wilson Company and returned home a year later to help with the family business and care for her younger siblings.
On October 29, 1955, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Spillville, she married Eugene W. Schwade. To this union four children were born. Joan worked for several places in the area including the school lunch room in Protivin, the Farmers Mill, Camcar in Decorah and Sara Lee in New Hampton until retirement. Joan also read the water meters in Protivin for 44 years. Mostly, Joan was the best of all mothers to her children. She loved going to bingo, fishing, traveling and spending time with all her ever-growing family. Joan was loved by so many with her smile and kind words. She will be dearly missed.
Survivors include one son, Keith (Lisa) Schwade of Rochester, MN; three daughters, Trudy (Louie) Smith of Ft. Atkinson, IA, Vicki (Kaiser) Fleming of Glennville, GA, Wanda (Tom) Stevenson of Ransom, IL; daughter-in-law, Julie Schwade of Cresco; fifteen grandchildren; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; one brother, Roger Wiltgen of Cedar Rapids; three sisters, Katy Strub of Sarasota, FL, Judy (Cliff) Klaisle of Eldorado Hills, CA, Dawn (Dale) Haugen of Auburndale, FL; sister-in-law, Carole Wiltgen of Cedar Rapids.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene on October 10, 1989; a granddaughter, Michelle Smith; brother, Guy Wiltgen; sister-in-law, Dorothy Wiltgen.
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Joan’s smile is perfectly captured in the photo you posted and is exactly how I remember it from our days at Sara Lee. A very sweet woman, always had a kind word. My sympathy to her family. Dora Smith
Sending my condolences to John’s family. I worked with her many years ago at Sara Lee. She was one of my favorite co-workers. An amazing woman!
The Schwade Family, I am so sad to hear the news about Aunt Joan. Wish I had gotten to Czech Days last year, I would have seen her. I believe I was there two years ago and spent some time visiting with Aunt Joan. I have nothing but positive memories of her. She always made me feel so welcome and she had a big smile. When I was a kid we would go up to see grandpa and grandma on the farm and many times we would go to town (Protivin). We usually would stop in ‘The Place’ and there would be Joan. She was so happy to see me . . talk, oh boy, could she talk. I always enjoyed seeing her. Of the Wiltgens she and Roger’s family are the ones I saw the most and got to know the best. She was such a wonderful example of a Christian lady. She cared so much for people and she was always there when they needed help. I know that was not easy but she handled it so well and seemed to remain upbeat and positive through it. She was a special lady. If I could be half as good and contribute half as much as Aunt Joan I would be doing something! To Aunt Joan and the Schwades I was ‘Joey’. Not sure why, but that is what I was known as on the Wiltgen side of the family. I can still hear her saying my name and I will truly miss her. God Bless and you all have our sympathies, Joe, Sandi, Tanner and Amber Wiltgen
Joan was a gem. She made & kept friends easily & loved sharing stories of her family. There appeared to be no end to her energy. That wonderful warm smile of hers was a window of who she was inside. I worked with her at Camcar, so have only known her for a few years, but feel blessed to have called her friend. Sincere sympathy to her family. Vernelle Gossman
Love, Matt, Laura, Olivia, Ashlyn and Makenna Wiske purchased the Arrive in Style for the family of Joan M. Schwade.
Bob & Ronnie Smith purchased the Sweet Tenderness for the family of Joan M. Schwade.
WE SEND OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES TO THE FAMILY OF JOAN. SHE WAS A SWEET LADY ALWAYS A BIG SMILE. SHE LOVED MY OLD TIME MUSIC AT THE CARE HOME EACH MONTH. WE WILL ALL MISS HER. R. I. P. JOAN. FROM TIM AND CINDY HOWLAND AND TIM THE MUSIC MAN PROTIVIN IOWA.
Joannie was always fun to be around…and I enjoyed doing her hair for years! Her and the Protivin ladies playing cards and having a good time! She could find the good in any situation..or any person! Yes that is a wonderful picture of her…I will not be able to make the wake or funeral..but please know I am thinking of your family. Hold onto all those good memories! Jane & Steve Ellingson
Your Friends At Tyson Ottawa Forward Warehouse purchased the Medium Dish Garden for the family of Joan M. Schwade.
Trudy and Family My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time.
My deepest sympathy to Joan’s family, She touched so many people she was the greatest !
What a great picture of Joannie. She always had that beautiful smile on her face and this is how I will remember her. She and my mother, JoAnne Anderson were the best of friends back in the day. I know there was a grand reunion in heaven when those two found each other. Thinking of all of you in the days ahead. Sincerely, Kim and Dan O’Brien
I also worked with Joan at Sara Lee. She was such a kind and caring lady. When you went into work, you would look to stand by someone that you knew would talk during the day to make that day go by faster. I knew if I stood by Joan, we would always find something to talk about. She will always be remembered!
Our thoughts and prayers go to Joan’s family. We just saw her at the Sara Lee Reunion. She was such a sweet lady. Jane and Jerry Hammel
My thoughts and prayers go to Joan’s Family I just seen her at the Sara Lee Reunion, She was a very Sweet lady I will remember her forever Karen Rodemaker
Andrea Dewar lit a candle in memory of Joan M. Schwade
So shocked to hear of Joan’s passing… She was in the next room to my mother in laws room at the Care Center.. I always said a few words to her each time I saw her and she always looked so healthy.. Very beautiful lady.. I will miss seeing her. Sympathy to her family.. Shirley Weber
Worked with Joan at Sara Lee and she was such a hard worker and never missed a day for anything. She was 68 when they closed but she went on to work in another factory, What a strong lady. Oh and she would talk about her family all the time and proud she was of her grand children. Joan will be missed by all but she is in Gods hands and he will have a truly lovely angel.
I am truly sorry for your family’s loss. Please take comfort in God’s promise to soon ‘swallow up death forever’ and to ‘wipe away the tears from all faces’ (Isaiah 25:8)
My thoughts and prayers are with Joan’s family. She was such a sweet, sweet lady. You couldn’t ask for a better person to work with. I will never forget her. Donna Baltes
This really makes me sad. Just saw her at the Sara Lee Reunion and she looked great. All our thoughts and prayers to her family. David and Jeanne Roder
Thoughts and prayers to Joan’s family. She was a great lady to work with and enjoyed seeing her at the Sara Lee reunion.
Sympathy and prayers for all of Joan’s family. She brightened our days with her beautiful smile and shared stories of her family which she was so proud of when she worked at Sara Lee. She will be missed.
Thoughts and prayers to the family. I remember working with her at Sara Lee.It was always a Joy .She was such a hard worker and loved by all. I know she will be missed very much.
Thoughts and prayers to all of the Schwade family. Joan was a gem of a person and we loved working with her at Sara. Loved seeing her at the reunion.