Joni Mapes

1955 - 2025

Joni was born on a beautiful summer day on August 25, 1955, to William and Ellen Caporgno. She grew up on a farm in West Modesto with her parents and siblings, Diana, Fran, and Butch. Joni attended Hart Ransom School and graduated in 1973 from Modesto High School. After graduation, she worked for a local attorney until she met and married her husband Mark Mapes in 1978. In 1980, they welcomed their son, Mark Ryan. Joni was a stay-at-home mom during the early years. In addition to raising their son, she enjoyed sewing, cooking and creating various projects. She was an accomplished and creative cook. She always enjoyed sharing her dishes and recipes with friends and family. Later, Joni accepted a secretarial position with Modesto City Schools where she worked as a principal's assistant. She retired in 2000 when she and Mark built a home in Shelter Cove, CA. She continued to pursue her creative passions, but also added fishing, bridge, reading, and word puzzles to her leisure activities. Joni was always happy and friendly, so in addition to her Modesto friends, she gained a whole new group of close friends in Shelter Cove. Joni and Mark spent their time between Modesto and Shelter Cove until her cancer diagnosis and treatments required her to be near a medical facility. In 2024, they moved to Kingman, AZ to be near a cancer hospital there. Joni fought a courageous 4+ years until she succumbed to cancer on September 30, 2025. Those who knew Joni will always remember her kind, sharing nature and her beautiful smile.

Joni will be missed by those she left behind, her husband Mark, her son Mark Ryan, daughter-in-law Erica, beloved grandchildren Derek, Jackson, Andrew, her sisters Diana and Fran, her sister-in-law Verneen, as well as numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents William and Ellen, and her Brother Butch. Donations can be made in her honor to a charity of your choice.