Joanne Petito

Joanne Kostecky Petito, 71, of Bethlehem, passed away on Friday November 3, 2017. She was the wife of Dr. George D. Petito with whom she had shared 3 years of marriage and more than 15 years of fulfilling companionship. Born in Ephrata, she was the daughter of the late Karl J. Reddig and Mae R. Reddig. She came to the Lehigh Valley in 1967 where she raised her family and began to nurture her entrepreneurial spirit and her love for landscaping. She started her own business in 1983, Joanne Kostecky Garden Design, where she was the creative force for over 30 years of award-winning landscapes, including over 100 awards in the state of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association, Lehigh Valley Builder's Associate), and over 40 awards on an international platform (Association of Professional Landscape Designers, Perennial Plan Association). Her professional accomplishments include: President of the American Nursery and Landscape Association based in Washington, D.C. where she was the only woman to hold that honor in its 130 year history; President of the National Landscape Association; American Nursery and Landscape Association Hall of Fame Award; Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association Hall of Fame Award; Community Spotlight Award from the Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal; and Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business Award. In the community, Joanne was very active with the Junior League of the Lehigh Valley where she served as President and most recently as Sustainer Chairman. The Junior League was such a significant part of Joanne's life in the Lehigh Valley - the friendships she made, the leadership qualities she developed, the fulfillment she received through serving others - all of which helped shape her both personally and professionally. Joanne was always striving to meet new people and learn new things. You would often find her at networking events such as the Lehigh Valley Elite Network or the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. She was known for her sense of style, always expressing her creativity, her love of color and design, and her flair for wearable art and beautiful jewelry. Joanne loved to travel the world, including Africa, Costa Rica, Germany, Switzerland, 5 trips to Italy, and most recently to the Netherlands to see Piet Oudolf's world famous natural gardens. Those who were lucky enough to be a guest at her dining table experienced her exquisite table settings and gourmet cooking. Joanne loved interior decorating, gardening, and collecting worldly artifacts. She filled her world with creativity every day and she led a colorful and passionate life. Survivors: In addition to her husband George, daughters Suzanne (Kostecky)Trautman and her husband Tom of Des Peres, MO, Jennifer (Kostecky) McGuire and her husband Tim of Evanston, Il; step-daughter Anita Marie Petito of Allentown; 5 grandchildren, Cole and Paige Trautman, and Madison, Kinsey and Thad McGuire; step-nephew Dr. Jeffrey Hare of Newtown Square. Services: A private Mass of Christian Burial for family and friends will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday December 2, 2017 at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, 417 Carlton Ave. Bethlehem, PA 18015. Her burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Ephrata. A Celebration of Joanne's Life will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday December 3, 2017 at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way Bethlehem, PA 18015. Joanne's arrangements are entrusted to Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem. A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com. Contributions: In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the church and/or research at Fox Chase Cancer Center, www.foxchase.org/giving.