Joan Neal Rutigliano

Joan Neal Rutigliano, of Mesa, Arizona, died August 11th, 2024, at the age of 87 surrounded by her two sons and two daughters. Joan was born in Wendell, Idaho to parents Dorthea Magenson and Otis Neal and moved to Aberdeen, Washington at a young age with three other sisters Jeanette, Joyce, and Cathy. She graduated from Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen where she was voted “Most Talented” by her classmates. She performed for her high school, sang for local radio stations and performed concerts with chamber orchestras in Idaho, California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon and Washington. During her college years attending Puget Sound University in Tacoma, Washington, she met her husband Louis Anthony Rutigliano who was stationed there serving in the Army. They moved to White Plains, New York which was hometown for Louis and his immediate family. They had four children, sons Michael Louis living in Chander, Louis Anthony, living in Mesa, and her daughters Carla Marie DeLisi. living in Sun Lakes and youngest daughter Christina Ann Giaquinto currently lives in Chappaqua, NY. 

Joan and Louis divorced in 1985 and soon after she moved to Laguna Beach, California to pursue her singing vocation in the sunshine state. Joan moved many times from Laguna Beach then in San Diego, CA. After some years, she relocated closer to her two sons in Arizona and lived in Prescott, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Gilbert, Tempe, and then finally in Mesa, AZ. 

Joan was an obsessed singer and joyful entertainer. Her life-long ambition was to bring the most beautiful music ever written to audiences and help to bring peace and joy to the world. She did that beautifully and sang in many churches of various denominations, private parties, sang at restaurants for regular work, weddings, and performed professionally playing the part of “Suzuki” in production of Madame Butterfly at the Singers Theatre in Peekskill, NY. She sang at many places later in life as a Busker (street musician). She sang for many gatherings of people from Balboa Park in San Diego to sports stadiums downtown Phoenix as well as many theaters like the Herberger and Phoenix Symphony Hall. She always had a friendly greeting and had something interesting to say to passersby and audience alike as she loved to dress up and wear big hats to be theatrical.

Joan had a tremendous soprano voice and started voice lessons at the age of 12 and was formally trained by coaches from the Julliard School of Music in NYC. She played the piano and could sing many languages in operatic style, her true talent, but also included famous folk songs from old times to newest popular hits in her repertoire. She never needed a microphone or loudspeakers because her operatic voice could certainly project and fill a theater or could easily be heard city blocks away with great clarity and tone with her well-practiced musical foundation.

Joan suffered late in life from Dementia and other medical conditions, but even at the end of her fight for life, she had a great sense of humor. She would always laugh as her kids would joke about her favorite food; the McDonalds “Filet-O-Fish” sandwich. 

She is survived by her four children and eight grandchildren who will always remember her singing, gusto for life and unbreakable spirit. She was proud of her family and will be missed.