JoAnn Sandra Lang

1944 - 2017

JoAnn Sandra Lang (Weiland)

JoAnn Sandra (Weiland) Lang, loving daughter, sister, wife, aunt, cousin, and friend; apple of many eyes; trusted confidant through times both good and bad; and boon companion on adventures both great and small, after a long and courageous battle with major illness, completed her last worldly adventure in Colorado Springs, Colorado on the evening of December 2, 2017.

Born December 21, 1944 to Ellsworth and Lois Weiland, JoAnn lived her first 52 years in the vicinity of Sandusky, Ohio and was a member of the second graduating class of Perkins High School.

In 1996 her longtime employer deemed her services to be needed closer to the main office and she resided for the next 19 years in Green, Ohio. This gave JoAnn the opportunity to reconnect with her many Akron relatives, and she organized several reunions at Boettler Park.

In 2014 JoAnn retired from Ohio Edison-FirstEnergy with over 45 years of ethical and dedicated service. In 2016 she and her husband, Paul, relocated to the spectacular Rocky Mountains near Buena Vista, Colorado.

JoAnn loved travel and the outdoors. In her younger days she was an avid skier with the Sandusky Ski Club, and in 1991 was awarded the Cleveland Metro Ski Council Outstanding Racer for her class.

She made several trips to Europe and to Central and South America with her friends and family. After her move to the Akron-Canton area, JoAnn was an enthusiastic participant in the Summit Metro Parks Fall Hiking Spree. In her 40's, after a bit of initial reluctance, she came to love the freedoms of wilderness canoe tripping, and spent many happy days and weeks on the rivers and lakes of the near and far north of the United States and Canada. On her last trip in 2016, she was treated to her most awe inspiring and spectacular display of northern lights.

JoAnn loved to knit and gifted many beautiful sweaters as well as countless baby booties to friends and family. Her talents as an amateur seamstress also benefited many a youngster, and also provided custom made clothing, camping, and canoeing gear for her many trips throughout North America.

JoAnn was an avid reader and leaves behind an extensive library. Her love of most any form of music, but especially classical, made her an inspirational muse to many.

Her love of socializing, her graciousness, and her gentle sense of humor made her a favorite at any gathering of family and friends, and her joy in dancing always made her a welcome guest at parties and wedding receptions.

JoAnn's interest in photography, also an inspiration, leaves behind a treasure trove of memories for her friends and family to enjoy, as does her work in tracing her family's roots.

Other interests included birding, gardening, fishing, and helping with shuttle arrangements on many kayaking trips.

She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Paul; sister, Donna (Warner); brother, Kenneth Weiland; and sister, Karen (Marsh); nieces, nephews, and many cousins.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents, Ellsworth and Lois (Opp) Weiland.

A memorial service to commemorate the gift of JoAnn's amazing life will be held in her hometown of Sandusky. Friends may call from 2 p.m. until services begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 16 in Toft Funeral Home & Crematory, 2001 Columbus Ave., Sandusky. A reception with light refreshments will immediately follow until 5 p.m. in the adjacent Toft Event Room.

JoAnn has requested that memorial gifts be made to the Sandusky Library and Follett House Museum Foundation, the Akron-Summit County Public Library, the PBS Foundation, American Whitewater, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of Magee Marsh, Friends of Parks - City of Green, OH, The American Cancer Society, or The JoAnn Sandra (Weiland) Lang Scholarship at Perkins High School.

Condolences and gifts of sympathy may be shared with the family by visiting toftfuneralhome.com.