Joanne Margaret Palun's Obituary
Joanne Margaret (Hodas) Palun, age 63, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2017 after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer.
She was born on June 18,1953 in Erie, PA to the late Genevieve (Falkowski) Hodas and Edward Hodas. She attended St. Stanislaus school and was a 1970 graduate of St. Benedict's Academy High School. Joanne went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Villa Maria College in 1974. She started her career as a Labor and Delivery nurse and then progressed to various nursing roles at Amherst Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, and even teaching at LCCC. She obtained her Masters in Nursing from Kent State University in 1992 and worked as a Nurse Practitioner for Bayshore OBGYN in Sandusky, OH until her retirement in 2014. She truly enjoyed helping people and providing care for all her patients.
Joanne may best be remembered for her love and the selfless devotion she provided to her husband Stephen whom she married on May 17, 1975 and preceded her in death last year.
Joanne was a member of St. Joseph's Church since moving to Amherst in 1980. She served the parish as a Eucharistic minister, lector and member of the contemporary choir. She led the Giving Tree ministry and volunteered her time in many other ways to the parish over the years. Her love for Christ was a great example to all. Joanne had a passion for sewing and quilting. She was a member of the Lorain County Piecemakers for many years where she made numerous quilts to express her love and gratitude to many friends and family members. She enjoyed traveling and spending time with family.
Joanne also opened her home to a number of foster children and exchange students over the years.
She is survived by brothers Robert Hodas of Erie, PA and Edward "Butch" (Sandy) Hodas of Erie, PA; sisters Evelyn Caffarel of Amherst, OH and Patricia Hodas of Erie, PA; children Stephen E. Palun of Cincinnati, OH, Laurie Palun Broze (husband Chris) of Galena, OH, and Jeffrey Palun (wife Nikki), of Cincinnati, OH. Also surviving are 7 grandchildren, Brian Palun, Ava, Nathan, Alex, and Andrew Broze, Elliot and Samantha Palun.
Joanne remained close to her nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends as well.
The Palun family will receive friends on Thursday, May 11, 2017 from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst, where closing prayers will be held on Friday, May 12 at 10:00 a.m. Her funeral Mass of Christian Burial will follow, at 10:30 a.m.,at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 200 St. Joseph Drive, Amherst. Rev. Fr. Tim O'Connor, Pastor, and Fr. Joe Warner will concelebrate the Mass.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.dovinreberjones.com.
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