Joan Defenbaugh

Joan M. Defenbaugh, 77, of Utica, passed away on St. Francis Day, Sunday, October 4, 2020 at her home, with her husband and son by her side.

 Mass of Christian burial for Joan will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church in Utica at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 9, 2020. Rev. Michael Driscoll and Msgr. James Swaner will concelebrate. Burial will follow at Valley Memorial Park Cemetery in Spring Valley. Visitation will be held Friday from 10:00 AM until 10:45 AM at the church in Utica. The Barto Funeral Home in Spring Valley is assisting the family. Everyone attending is asked to please wear a mask and abide by social distance guidelines.

Joan was born on November 24, 1942 in Spring Valley to Stanley and Virginia (Muzzarelli) Ciboroski. She married Russell C. Defenbaugh on April 7, 1994 at Lake Tahoe.

She was a special education teacher and consultant at the Ottawa Elementary Schools for 29 years, retiring in 2001. She was a graduate of Illinois State University. She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Utica and the National Education Association. Joan loved nature and taking care of animals.  She will be remembered as a very compassionate woman and a wonderful mother and wife.

Joan is survived by her husband, Russell of Utica; her son, Jeffrey (Kathie) Domkuski of New Berlin, WI; 4 step children, Julie Palmer of Peru, Paul Defenbaugh of Rankin, Leslie (Sam) Morris of Pleasant Hill, IA, and Gretchen Mattingly of Ottawa; 5 grandchildren, Tia Messino of Elgin, Brett and Ruby Morris of South Carolina, Nick Morris of Ohio, and Tristan Morris of Des Moines, IA; three great grandchildren; her brother, Ronald (Sharon) Ciboroski of Sandwich; and a nephew, Mike Ciboroski, of Cherry.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter, Mary Virginia Domkuski.