Joellyn Perry Buchholz

New Berlin - Joellyn Perry Buchholz, 77, of New Berlin, WI, passed away from complications of ovarian clear cell carcinoma on February 11th, 2023 with her husband Arnold Frederick Buchholz preceding her in death on June 18th, 2015. She was born on November 14th, 1945 to Jane Hapeman (Dupee) Perry and Alban Orla Perry in Freeport, IL. She graduated as a "pretzel" from Freeport High School in 1963.

Joellyn was a first generation summa cum laude Education and Mathematics graduate from the University of Dubuque in Iowa. She expressed a life-long love and bond with her amazing classmates from Schiller University in Kleiningersheim, Germany, while studying abroad in 1964-65 during her sophomore year. She became a high school math teacher in the midwest after college, and enjoyed introducing her students to computers using punch cards. Joellyn was on the fore-front of "warehouse" computers in Math education, and fluent in Spanish and German.

In the late 1970s she fell in love with Arnie and made the greater Milwaukee area her home. She volunteered at the Milwaukee Spanish Center and tutored at-risk youth in Mathematics all while being a new mom and working full-time in the commercial real estate and banking industry - First Bank Milwaukee, Northwestern Mutual, Fiserv, Continental Properties, Richter-Schroeder, and M&I - finally retiring as Vice President in October of 2010. She fondly remembered meeting so many of her life-long friends during these working years - especially the "ladies cookie club" while at work. During retirement she loved gardening, discovering new restaurants, cultural events throughout southeastern Wisconsin, a cruise to Alaska with her husband, many cousin reunions in IL and CA, and plenty of family time. She was a generous and loving grandmother who cared for her neighbors and those less fortunate, and was very close to her cousins Georgia (Rod) Behlen, Gib Schauer, Tom Cleworth, Cindy (Ian) Wilson and their families. In August 2020 she discovered she had a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer, but found incredible care from Dr. Janet Rader and her team at Froedert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. She moved to Pismo Beach, CA during treatments to be close to her family while gaining new spiritual and physical strength every day walking on the cliffs and beaches of the Pacific Ocean, all while in the midst of a global pandemic.

Joellyn, the eldest of two children, is survived by her son Scott (Jessica) Buchholz and step-children Debra (Wade) Crosby, Mary (Edward) Gratz, and David (Beadsie) Buchholz along with her sister Janis (Glenn) Koehler and her loving children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who all miss her dearly. Joellyn loved being a grandmother to her entire extended family; and she had a special bond over purple colors, SloDoCo donuts, and Disney with her grandchild Alyssa Buchholz in Pismo Beach.

She is missed and loved by so many, near and far. Celebration of Life service SUNDAY, September 3rd, 2023 at ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN, 7877 N Port Washington Rd in GLENDALE, WI. Graveside burial TUESDAY, September 5th, 2023 at 10:30am HIGHLAND MEMORIAL PARK, 14875 W. Greenfield Ave. in NEW BERLIN, WI where she will finally be at rest with her late husband Arnie.