Joan Fucci

Joan Andrea Yurick Fucci passed away on July 28, 2025. She was at home surrounded by her husband and two daughters.

Joan was born to John and Millie Kallquist Yurick in a small town in southwestern Pennsylvania and grew up in Duquesne and West Mifflin, suburbs of Pittsburgh. She was an only child but was surrounded by a large loving family with lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Dancing was an important part of Joan’s life as a young girl, and she studied, entertained, and taught in the Pittsburgh area and in New York City. Joan graduated from Duquesne High School.

Joan went on to Hiram College where she got an undergraduate degree with majors in Drama and Speech. She was granted a National Education Association Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh to study Speech Pathology and completed a Master of Science degree and continued studies in the PhD program. While at the University of Pittsburgh she met Donald Fucci who would become her husband a few years later. Joan loved her job at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and was fortunate to find another dream job as Program Coordinator/Speech Pathologist at Wabash Center in Indiana where she worked with children from birth to age 16. During this time, she continued graduate studies in the PhD program at Purdue.

Joan and her husband Don came to Athens to work at Ohio University in 1968. Though she only planned to be here for a few years, Athens became her home where she raised her family. At Ohio University Joan had a full-time position as a supervisor in the Hearing and Speech Clinic and in public schools which included teaching and supervising future speech-language clinicians. She also loved working as a speech-language pathologist with individuals at ATCO, Echoing Meadows Residential Center, and Hartman Road Home. She continued to volunteer at these sites after her retirement. 

In addition to her career, Joan was an amazing mother who volunteered as a girl scout leader, band parent, dance mom, and Sunday School teacher at Christ Lutheran Church. Joan was a member of the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Chapter DD, where she served on the scholarship committee and was the recipient of the Shining Star award, given to those who exemplify the meaning of sisterhood. Joan was also a loving grandmother who hosted “camp grandma” and never missed one of her grandsons’ events, whether she was there live, listening on the radio, or watching online. 

Joan made friends wherever she went, and she cherished her close friendships. Anyone who was lucky enough to be thought of as one of her friends or “kids” knows how special they were to her. 

Joan is survived by her husband, Don Fucci, her daughters Melissa Fucci and Jessica Fucci Downs, her son-in-law Karl Erdmann (Melissa), and her grandchildren, Isaac Downs, Eli Downs, and Drew Erdmann. 

Joan’s family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to all the healthcare workers who helped her, especially her home health care aides who treated her like family. Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.  Arrangements are with Jagers & Sons Funeral Home, Athens.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 91891, Washington, D.C., 20090-1891 or nationalmssociety.org, where donations support MS research.  Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register at www,jagersfuneralhome.com.