Joann Irene (Havlovick) Wachsmuth

JoAnn Irene (Havlovick) Wachsmuth, 77, joined her husband, Jim, and son, Todd, in Heaven on Christmas Eve.

JoAnn was born on January 17, 1945, in Wausau, the daughter of the late Irene (Leffel) and Joseph Havlovick. She graduated from Newman High School in 1963. On August 24, 1968, she married Jim Wachsmuth at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Wausau. He preceded her in death on August 5, 2017.

JoAnn spent much of her life raising four beautiful children. She was selfless-always concerned with others’ needs before her own. Her compassion for others made the world a better place. As her children grew older, she decided to start an at-home daycare, treating each child that entered her home as a member of her own family. This care created lifelong relationships with these families, hence her “Second Family.” After she closed the daycare, she worked at the Hostess Outlet store. Once she retired, she spent as much time as possible with her grandchildren, often staying with them so their parents could have a “kid free” vacation. She took many road trips with Jim before he died, exploring much of the U.S. In recent years, she enjoyed going to Josh Groban concerts, online shopping, taking a cruise to Alaska with her family, a Mom/Daughter Cruise to the Caribbean, spending time on Madeline Island, going to “the Lake,” meaning the casino, reading books, watching her shows and being with her children and grandchildren. She was a strong, independent woman, insisting on doing things herself—you would see her cutting her own grass and shoveling the snow in recent years.

Survivors include, three children, James Wachsmuth, Tonya (Greg) Schlaefer, and Mary Jo Wachsmuth; one daughter-in-law, Tanya Wachsmuth; eight grandchildren, Daniela, James, Kalin and Dana Wachsmuth; Megan, Caraline, Joey and Isabel Schlaefer; and fourteen siblings, Jeanette Havlovick, James Havlovick (Barb), Joseph Havlovick (Connie), Thomas Havlovick (Betty), Raymond Havlovick (Nancy), Dennis Havlovick (Donna), Sharon LaBlanc (Robert), Bernard Havlovick (Donna), Mary Havlovick (Margie Keenan), Donna Havlovick (Rob Woitalewicz), Annette Havlovick (Nancy Cross), Nancy Vogel (William), Marlene Howland (Scott), Laurie Shankey (Bruce). She is further survived by her sisters-in-law, Karen (Robert) Erickson and Carol Wachsmuth, brother-in-law, Henry Wachsmuth, her Uncle Wilfred Guillaume, her “Second Family” and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She also loved her Granddogs Sunny and Daisy, who could always count on her for a treat.

JoAnn loved watching the huge waves on the North Shore of Oahu. She felt “some of us are born with the beach in our souls.” She loved poppies, roses, butterflies, cardinals and rainbows….her favorite color was red. She will forever be in our hearts.

The family would like to thank the staff at Aspirus Cancer Care, Aspirus Palliative Care Unit, and Aspirus Hospice House for their compassionate care of JoAnn.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Wausau.  The Rev. Sebastian Kolodziejczyk will preside. Visitation is from 11:00 AM until time of services at the church.  The burial will be on Wednesday, January 4 at 12:00 PM at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner.

The Funeral Mass will be live streamed on YouTube—www.stmatthewwausau.org

Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Avenue, Wausau, is in charge of arrangements.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com

She is at home at the sea; her soul a part of its deep melody.  (Angie Weiland Crosby)