JoAnn Kay Masterson

JoAnn Kay (Bodie) Masterson, age 87, of Peoria, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 17, 2025. JoAnn was born March 26, 1938, in Pekin, Illinois, graduating from Pekin Community High School in 1956 and furthering her education at Bradley University.
JoAnn enjoyed her years of employment at Caterpillar Inc., where she met her husband, James Masterson. They were married in 1965 and moved to Geneva, Switzerland, with Baby Kathleen in 1966. From there, they moved to Hong Kong, (a British Crown Colony at the time), where Bradley was born. The family returned to Peoria in 1973.
Once Kathy and Brad were older, gardening became JoAnn's passion. She joined the Peoria Garden Club in 1979 and participated in the Peoria Garden Club Walks many times. Also, she and her husband were both members of the American Horticultural Society, enjoying many of their sponsored trips to gardens throughout the United States, Ireland, United Kingdom, and Europe. JoAnn enjoyed an old gardener's creed... Live everyday as if it was your last, and garden as if you will live forever.
JoAnn was active in the Peoria area community and served on the Boards of Peoria Fine Arts Society and the Methodist Service League.
JoAnn was a proud grandmother to Mark and Alex Dimler and Hollis, Efrem and Lu Ella Masterson, as well as a proud mother-in-law to Lorena Masterson.
A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 11am – 1pm at Wright and Salmon Mortuary.
Cremation rites have been accorded. Interment will be in the spring, with a Memorial Service at All Souls Chapel in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Notre Dame, Indiana, in view of the Golden Dome. Because her husband was a graduate, many Autumn days were spent on the Notre Dame campus; some wonderfully sunny and warm, others cold and rainy. All were memorable.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the University of Notre Dame. Please direct your gift to Harper Cancer Research Institute fund #362064 for glioblastoma research in memory of JoAnn Kay Masterson. Gifts may be made online at giving.nd.edu, by phone at 574-631-5150, or by mail: University of Notre Dame, Department of Development, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556.
Tributes and condolences may be left at www.wrightandsalmon.com