Name: Visitation for Joanne B. Zacharias
Start: 2023-04-23T20:00:00.000Z
End: 2023-04-24T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Newcomer Funeral Home - Southwest Toledo Chapel

Joanne B. Zacharias

Joanne B. (Grycza) Zacharias, age 72, of Toledo, OH, passed away Friday, April 14, 2023 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo. She was born on June 22, 1950 to Frank and Rose (Cisek) Grycza in Toledo, Ohio. Joanne graduated in 1968 from DeVilbiss High School. She worked as a billing clerk for over 10 years at the Neighborhood Health Association. Joanne was a member of St. John the XXIII for over 10 years. She was an avid reader, enjoyed doing word searches, bird watching, and playing bingo. In her younger years, Joanne and her family liked camping and being in the outdoors. Joanne's pride and joy was her family, especially her two granddaughters; they were the light of her life. Her caring nature, smile and spirit will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 34 years, Robert "Bob" Zacharias. Left to cherish Joanne's memory is her loving daughter, Lisa (Gregory) Kierczak; granddaughters, Audrey and Brianne; siblings, Steve (Barb) Grycza, Gary (Barb) Grycza and Cheryl (Brian) Janson; many nieces, nephews; and dear friends.

The family will receive guests on Monday, April 24, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. â€" 8:00 p.m. at Newcomer â€" Southwest Chapel, 4752 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo (419-381-1900). Funeral Mass will begin Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the XXIII, 24250 N. Dixie Hwy., Perrysburg, OH 43551 with visitation in church from 10:00 a.m. â€" 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider the church, Hospice of Northwest Ohio or Otterbien of Perrysburg.

To leave a special message for Joanne's family, please visit

www.NewcomerToledo.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Blade on Apr. 23, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Joanne Zacharias

Sponsored by Newcomer Funeral Home - Southwest Toledo Chapel.

4 Entries

Cheryl Janson

July 16, 2025

Joanne was a strong character (in a good way). Being her sister we talked every day. I always looked forward to her conversations. I miss her daily but know she was stronger than most. What she went through after her fall was something no one should go through. I miss our joke of her favorite sister as a resident thought Joanne was her sister. I look forward to seeing her in heaven.

Karen Jarvie

April 17, 2025

I shall never forget Joanne's courage in adversity. In the old days they would call it "Christian fortitude." She certainly had plenty of that. While she never complained about her fate, she did share the details of her accidental fall which left her wheel chair bound for the rest of her life. The disability was less worrisome to her than the fact that it eventually led to destitution. "Karen," she said, "I worked all of my life, only to end up on welfare." She wasn't angry. She only got angry when someone else was the object of suffering. But it was a sense of bewilderment and disappointment, which she shared with others in order to make a broader point: Cherish every day that you are blessed with mobility and independence. I took that away from our conversations and it definitely changed my life. Joanne had a gift for getting right to the nub of things, and I shall always be grateful to her for sharing such moments with me.

Karen Jarvie

April 17, 2024

I find myself thinking often of Joanne, as well as sharing her words of wisdom with others. Fate may have cheated her out of a more fulsome career, but she never let a day go by without an act of charity towards others who were less fortunate. Being wheelchair bound never restrained her fine mind, and caring heart.

Karen Jarvie

April 20, 2023

Joanne was more than just a good person. She was an advocate for those who were unable to fight for themselves. I cannot count how many times she stepped into the breach at the rehabilitation center where she and my mother lived for a time. If she saw a resident sitting at the dining table with a plate of untouched food in front of them, she would tactfully bring it to the attention of one of the aides. And she'd sit there until somebody took the time to feed the poor soul. Confined to a wheelchair herself, she had a special empathy for the challenges of the handicapped at the facility. She wasn't just kind and caring on a personal level. She made a point of attending any meeting that dealt with patient care. In other words, she gave voice to the voiceless. There were many days when I knew that Joanne was struggling herself, but she never complained about it. She was the proverbial "cheerful giver," always eager to help someone less vocal than herself. She was also still active on the outside, planning trips with her husband Bob to local events and church. And it always makes me chuckle to remember Bob running into the dining room on any given day with a piece of mail for Joanne to process. You see, like most wives she was a "worker bee." After a lifetime of crunching numbers, she was still adept at handling paperwork and making the needed phone calls. And it was heartwarming to see how she had managed to create a little world for herself and Bob under very challenging circumstances. She had a little fridge in her room stocked with Bob's favorite soft drinks. "He doesn't need it, but I like to have it handy if he wants one," she would say. It was wifely thing to do, as well as keeping tabs on Bob's failing health as well. They were a lovely couple, devoted to each other and their family. In this busy world, people often complain that they don't have time for the little things, like listening to a child's day at school, or inviting a granddaughter to play bingo. Joanne always made time, and her pride in her grandchildren was a source of strength. She was a force to be reckoned with, but she was also engaged in the concerns of others. She was also an avid reader and crossword puzzle worker. She would wheel herself outside under the overhang and get so absorbed in a book that she didn't always hear you say, "Hello." But when she did looks up, it always led to a wonderful conversation and sharing of useful "household" tips. I learned a great deal from Joanne, and I (with so many others) will dearly miss her.

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