It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joan Louise Wilcox, age 97, on Sunday, September 21, 2025. She passed peacefully at Riverwood Senior Living, surrounded by the love of her family and wrapped in the compassionate care of the wonderful Riverwood staff.

Joan's life was a full one, marked by great love for her husband of 73 years, Duane, and her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Joan lived to make every day count, and was passionate about her life's work – educating children. Her hours and days were filled with laughter, spontaneity, purpose and hard work.

She is survived by her children, sons Steve (Terri) of Hudson, WI and Jeff (Sharon) of Wisconsin Dells; daughter Betsy (Bob) of Port Washington, WI; 5 grandchildren, Chris (Kristen), Erin (Chris), Katie (Mike), Kiira (Nick) and Leigh (Josh); and 6 great-grandchildren, Finley, Penelope, Grace, Beren, Asher and Keene.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents and loving husband Duane.

Celebrating Joan's Remarkable Life

Formative Years
Joan was born March 19, 1928 to Kenneth (K.K.) and Margaret (Birkenmeyer) Johnson, in Kilbourn, Wisconsin, later renamed to Wisconsin Dells.

Joan had a very proper and loving mother and a curious, fun-loving father. Her early life was filled with family times and priorities that reflected these attributes. Joan recalled with glee that when she was in elementary school, her mom joined a women's group focused on good child rearing, whose meetings coincidentally fell on the same day as new shows debuted at the local movie theater. On meeting nights, while her mom was out the door for an evening of inspiration, she and her dad would dash downtown and catch the early show at the movies. On a school night! She got a kick out of barely making it back home in time to get in bed and pretending to be asleep when her mom got home. This special time with her dad was something Joan remembered fondly and later in life cracked up over the irony.

Joan was a true mixture of the strengths of her parents - both proper and serious, curious and fun. And had her very own attributes. Influenced by the depression, war, and shifting expectations and opportunities as a woman in our society, Joan balanced tradition with quietly breaking the mold. She was very self-determined and self-sufficient. She was confident in her convictions and purposeful.

Education
Joan went through all grades in Wisconsin Dells except her junior year of high school, when she and her mother joined her dad in Hartford, CT where he was posted during World War II.  She graduated from Wisconsin Dells High School in 1945.

Joan went to Downer College in Milwaukee Freshman year, interested in occupational therapy. She transferred to River Falls Teachers College. There, two subjects captured her imagination – a major in Elementary Education and a terrific guy, Duane Wilcox. Joan graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in 1949. And she married that terrific guy in 1950.

Family and Career
At the first dance on campus after Joan moved to River Falls, she caught the eye of a hometown boy just back from the war, Duane Wilcox. He asked her to dance. She excused herself, went to the ladies' restroom, and asked everyone if they knew this man. Was he a good guy? They ALL knew Duane and assured her he was definitely a good guy. They danced every dance, and he walked her home. For the next 3 years, he spent most evenings on the porch with Joan at the rooming house where she lived. Theirs was a true love story. 5 years of courtship. 73 years of marriage. An uncountable number of dances!

Joan wanted to be a mother and an educator, and she was wonderful at both.

Joan was so proud to get her first position as a kindergarten teacher in Richland Center right out of college. A year later, when she and Duane married and he found his first teaching position, she joined him and taught kindergarten in Glenwood City.

Their son, Steve, came along in 1951 and Betsy was born in 1953. The family found their long-time home in Lancaster when Duane took a new teaching position later that year. Jeff was born in 1955.

When Jeff was three, Joan started the first preschool in Lancaster. She created the curriculum, Duane built the playground equipment and toys, she bought a used piano, and ran programs for 2 groups a day for 2 years.

From 1958 to 1985 Joan had a rich and varied career in the classroom. She was sought after for her experience and expertise, first by the town of Potosi to start their kindergarten program, then by Lancaster Winskill Elementary School (twice), and later UW Platteville where she taught their capstone course in elementary education.

Joan was a master at reading stories aloud to children, and frequently presented those techniques at teaching conferences. She and her colleague at Winskill Elementary School were also asked to write the kindergarten curriculum for the State of Wisconsin Education Department.

Throughout these years, Joan was also a creative and encouraging mom, cheering her kids on from the sideline and creating all sorts of ways to bring the family together for quality time. Her children remember so many examples, from family band to camping trips and homemade Christmas ornaments. Joan made life in the Wilcox house fun and engaging. And in the process, opened her children's eyes to new possibilities and encouraged them to try anything they imagined wanting to do.

She nurtured her grandchildren with that same philosophy. She loved being a mom, a grandma, and a great-grandma.

Passions, Talents and Joys
Many hobbies and interests brought Joan joy. She was creative and artistic, spontaneous, and intrepid. Her lifelong passions for music and travel started with her parents and were ones she later shared with Duane. They traveled the world together. They made music together.

Joan had a beautiful singing voice and was an outstanding pianist, gifts she shared with her family and community. After she retired, she wanted to learn to play the harp so she took lessons at UW-Madison and fell in love with it. Joan and her musical partner, Ardel, a violinist, brought lovely music to the public, private gatherings, and senior living facilities with over 20 concerts a year through their 70's and 80's. Joan and Duane played special Christmas harp/French horn duets at church.

Joan also cherished her lifelong friendships. The mutual support they provided each other and fun they had together was one of Joan's most appreciated gifts.

Joan enjoyed many forms of handiwork, including tatting, drawing, chip carving, painting Duane's carvings, and writing.

Joan loved the outdoors. Hiking, canoeing, and camping - she enjoyed it all. Joan had the whole family out hiking every Sunday afternoon after the Packer game. They hiked every creek, valley, and explored every cave in Grant County.

She loved dancing with her forever partner, Duane.

Community Life
A list doesn't begin to capture the joy that each of these groups brought into Joan's life. Every single friend in these groups meant so much to her:

Red Hat Club, Oak Park Place, Baraboo; Art Association , Wisconsin Dells; Bridge Clubs in every town over her adult life!; Tuesday Club , Wisconsin Dells; Book Club , Wisconsin Dells; Harp Circle , Madison; Sauk County Retired Educators ; Church Choir , Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Reedsburg

Special Thanks
To our family at Riverwood – to every single member of the staff at Riverwood Assisted Living who touched Joan's life with love, protection and extraordinary care. They treated Joan like everyone's Grandma and provided gentle, loving, watchful care. To every resident at Riverwood who has loved and cared for Joan and made her feel a part of the family. To Pastor Anita Genrich who provided such personal spiritual care and to Sue White, the outstanding pianist who brought Mom the joy of music after she could no longer create her own.

Memorial Service

A joint memorial service for Joan and Duane Wilcox
Saturday, October 18,
at Trapper's Turn, Wisconsin Dells

Visitation  10:00 – 11:30
Celebration of the Lives of Joan and Duane Wilcox   11:30 – 12:30
Luncheon   12:30 – 2:30

Private Family Interment at the cemetery in Tomah

A Word about Flowers
Joan loved fresh flowers! In her name, please buy flowers and give them to someone you care about or someone who really needs a flower!

In Lieu of Flowers
As a memorial to Joan, we invite you to consider providing funds to buy children's and large print books –

Schreiner Memorial Library, Lancaster

Please make your check payable to Schreiner Memorial Library
Note on check: In memory of Joan Wilcox

c/o Martha Bauer
Ryland Park
113 W. Elm St.
Lancaster, WI 53813

Kilbourn Public Library, Wisconsin Dells, Lake Delton

Please make your check payable to, or drop cash off at the library:

Note on check: In memory of Joan Wilcox

Friends of the Kilbourn Library
620 Elm St.
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Memories of Joan from Loved Ones
When we thought about how to capture her rich life of 97 years, we thought of the stories and anecdotes that represent who she was to us.

Our family has been so comforted by many expressions of condolence. Countless of these conversations have contained stories and attributes about Joan:

"I remember… I just have to tell you… Your Mom meant so much to me…"
And the one every single person said, "Oh, her beautiful smile."

We are moved by these from laughter to tears and back again. Thank you.

If you would like to add your thoughts or memories of Joan, please share them in the condolences guest book.

"If you want children to listen, speak softly. The louder the child, the softer you speak."

Joan was … smart, kind, a serious professional, she never raised her voice, was very observant. Children loved her.

Joan lived with dignity and grace. Joan was a great teammate and friend.

"We spent the first week of every school year teaching discipline. Rules for behavior, rules for safety. By the end of the first week, everyone knew how to behave properly in class. Stay in your square, hands in your lap, raise your hand to speak, don't ever touch anybody! And never, ever stand on the merry-go-round!"

Shortly before the next school year started, the nearby town of Potosi decided to offer a kindergarten class and needed a teacher who could launch it with short turnaround and limited resources. They called Joan and she took on the challenge. A new curriculum, no budget, no supplies, on the third floor of the old elementary school in Potosi. There was no fire escape, and all the bathrooms were on the floor below hers. She had a piano, one-sided blank paper from the local bank and pieces of crayons from the families of new kindergarteners. This lasted 6 weeks of the school year until the school board paid for some supplies. Joan had had an assignment in her college education class – what would you do if you had nothing to work with in the classroom. She wrote a paper on the subject in college. Now she was living it. Joan taught in Potosi for 2 years.

Joan loved music in the classroom. She played the piano half-turned around to keep the children in her eyesight and encouraged them to sing and have fun with music. During a serious storm warning, the two kindergarten classes came together in one classroom – 50 children, Joan and her good friend and colleague, Bette, who played the ukulele. As the storm raged, Joan and Bette led a grand sing-along with fingerplays.

Growing up with a kindergarten teacher for our mom meant a ditty and a fingerplay for every occasion. Every occasion. Every subject. In the house. In the car. We begged her to stop. Later we begged her to start again just for the laughter and kidding it produced.

When we were zipping up her coat for a walk outdoors a month or so ago, we were reminiscing about all the zippers she zipped, the mittens she put on, the buttons she did up and the shoes she tied over her incredible years with children. She just cracked up at the memory of it. Shook her head. And off we went. Her memories were filled with children to the day she left us.

It was often said in Lancaster, where Duane taught orchestra, and high school band and chorus, that Joan started the kids off and Duane ended their Lancaster education!

Joan had a few surprise meetings with famous Americans! Joan was on an organizing committee for Women's Civic Involvement in college. She and the other members of the committee were joined at a luncheon by Eleanor Roosevelt. The First Lady sat and chatted at Joan's table. One afternoon she was in her kindergarten classroom at Winskill School, and someone called her into the office to ask if she could come down to the courthouse square after school and play the piano at a gathering there. She asked if they had the music! They did, so she said yes. It was a rally for John F. Kennedy, and she played America the Beautiful.

While Duane was finishing his master's degree at Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, summers 1960-64, Joan and her children lived on Blass Lake at the cottage. No TV. She taught us the joys of life on the lake – reading, building tree houses, science projects – we raised tadpoles in a half sunken rowboat, hiked, boated, swam, played games, created anything we could think of. She bestowed this same creative streak on her grandchildren – weeks at the cottage, dubbed "Camp Wilcox" were full of creative projects.

There are so many family stories about the Depression and the years of World War II. When she lived in Connecticut, she and her mom would go to Long Island to meet Grampa for the day. She remembered riding the roller coaster on Coney Island in the total darkness of black-out. She remembered all the supply drives and the ration books. And the recipes. When her children were small, she made a few of the wartime recipes for us to try.

There are the "hey, let's go to…." stories of Joan. Spontaneous and full of fun!

·         Hey, let's go to LaCrosse and play in the Guinness Book of World

Records of most harps playing together

·         Hey, let's go see Betsy in England

·         Hey, let's meet up halfway and go camping tonight – with Joan's

parents, Governor Dodge State Park

·         Hey, let's pull over – at every scenic overlook in the American West

·         Hey, let's go to (fill in the blank)  Israel, Africa, Japan, China, Australia,

Yosemite, New York, Boston, Montreal, Belgium, Italy, France, Spain

and so on

A life well-lived and chock full. With a good laugh to go with it. That was Joan.
We love you and miss you so.

Link to Duane's Obituary, January 2024: https://www.pichafuneralhome.com/obituary/duane-wilcox