Joan Audrey von Arras, MD, of Winchester, Virginia, passed away peacefully in Chicago, Illinois, on September 1, 2025, at the age of 73, after a courageous 13-month battle with glioblastoma. Born July 2, 1952, in New York, New York, Joan lived a vibrant life rich with family, community, and professional achievement.
For over 30 years, Joan served as a respected radiologist and leader in the medical field, specializing in women's imaging and nuclear radiology. She practiced at hospitals throughout the United States, chairing the medical imaging, nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance departments at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital and the former Sinai Samaritan Medical Center in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, and retiring from Winchester Medical Center in Virginia. As a radiologist in a male-dominated field, she loved her work deeply and took pride in paving a path for women in medicine. Her colleagues and patients valued her work ethic, camaraderie, and bedside manner.
Joan grew up in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan. She began her professional journey at the Bronx High School of Science, and after her family relocated to Rumson, New Jersey, Joan graduated from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College and a Master of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following her graduation from Yale School of Medicine, Joan completed an internship at the Yale-New Haven Medical Center (Waterbury) and a residency and fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Corrine Brunhoelzl (née Arras). She is survived by her four children and their families: Jonathan Harris, his spouse Xuan Hoa, and their daughters Erika and Sophie, of Bothell, Washington; Alexander Harris and his spouse Karalyn Violeta, of Lake Peekskill, New York; Jillian Anastasiades (née Harris), her spouse Nicolas, and their son Oscar, of Chicago, Illinois; and David Harris, of San Francisco, California. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Carol Andrea Brunhoelzl and James Robert Gladden, Jr., of New York, New York, and her dog Tessa.
Joan was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, neighbor, and friend, known for her sharp mind, boisterous laugh, and unwavering grit. Whether tending her garden or curled up with her dogs and a PBS period piece, she embraced life with curiosity and resilience. Her can-do spirit, penchant for scoring the best deals, and love of road trips – fueled by bottomless coffee, talk radio, and Fleetwood Mac singalongs – became family legend. She cherished seafood dinners and breezy beach days, always surrounded by those she loved.
Joan's memory lives on in the many lives she touched – through her profession, her family, and beyond. She will be dearly missed.
Family and friends are invited to a celebration of Joan's life on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Hess-Miller Funeral Home, 64-19 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village (Queens), NY 11379. The memorial service will begin promptly at 10:30am, with a procession to All Faiths Cemetery immediately following.
Joan's family kindly asks those who wish to honor Joan's legacy to make a donation to the American Brain Tumor Association at https://give.abta.org/Joan-von-Arras, to support important glioblastoma research and promote a brighter future for patients and their loved ones.
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