On October 23, 2022 Joan Pitchford got her wings and went to walk with the angels, she was 90 years old. Joan ("Joanie") Pitchford was born on March 4, 1932 to Leon and Pearl Kurowski. Joanie grew up on the south east side of Chicago surrounded by a very large and extended family where she attended St. Michael's Parish on South Shore Drive. She met her husband, Ron, while working at R.R. Donnelly and Sons. They married in 1949 and later moved to Lansing, IL where she proudly raised her two sons and attended St. Ann's Parish for over 50 years before moving to Munster, IN in 2001. She spent her final 21 months in Dyer, IN surrounded by family. Joan's nieces, Renee Williams and Kathleen Fisher, were a constant touchstone for Joan those last 21 months, with numerous prayers, calls and visits. The family would like to acknowledge and thank her nieces as well as all the relatives and family friends that frequently called, made visits to her, checked in on her, and offered prayers, thoughts and help as she convalesced. Joanie was a long time employee at The Fashionette in Lansing, IL alongside owner and dear friend, Jackie Protsman. Joanie's hobbies were sewing, reading and baking, but baking was her passion. Joanie loved to share her baked goods with anyone she could; her co- workers, her neighbors, her doctors, her mechanics, just about everyone. If Joanie was invited to a social event, she was bringing the dessert. Her nickname amongst her son's friends was "Betty Crocker". In 1968, Joanie won The Journal Recipe Contest for her Hungarian Pastries. For that Joanie was awarded an honorary Master's Degree in Culinary Arts, a cookbook and a chance to win a brand new dishwasher; it was an extremely proud moment of hers, for sure.

Joanie was a meticulous homemaker and she enjoyed preparing meals for her family especially for Sunday dinners, birthdays and holidays. Joanie was always willing to share her talents of sewing and baking with her grandkids. Never did one of their birthdays go by without a home cooked meal and a home baked cake of their choosing. Her grandkids loved when she took them to the park, played countless hours of games like Chutes and Ladders, Old Maid and Go-Fish with them, watched The Three Stooges and held "Saturday night buffets" for them. Joanie was always happy to support her grandkids by making sure she attended their baseball, softball and football games, dance competitions, graduations, band concerts, confirmations, Cub Scout events and school dance photo-op's.

Friends may visit with the family on Friday, October 28, 2022 from 3:00 to 8:00 PM at the Schroeder-Lauer Funeral Home, 3227 Ridge Road, Lansing, Illinois. Funeral services for Joan will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2022 beginning with 9:30 AM closing prayers at the funeral home, then proceeding to St. Ann Catholic Church, 3010 Ridge Road, Lansing, Illinois for a 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial. Joan will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Calumet City, Illinois.

Joanie was a loving friend, daughter, cousin, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister to many, many siblings. Joanie was preceded in death by her loving husband Ronald Leon Pitchford (Sesser, IL/Lansing, IL) and her grandson Demetrios Pitchford (Indianapolis, IN). Joanie is survived by her 2 sons Ken Pitchford of Chesterton, IN and Keith (Shelley) Pitchford of Dyer, IN as well as three grandchildren; Leonidas (Ashley Kenworthy) Pitchford of Greencastle, IN, Adare Pitchford and Garron Pitchford both of Dyer, IN and 2 great granddaughters; Sophia and Grace Pitchford of Greencastle, IN. Joanie was additionally survived by several brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends.