JoAnn Butcher

JoAnn Butcher

Thousand Oaks, CA

With a very heavy heart, we announce the passing of JoAnn Butcher on May 5th. JoAnn was born in Lake Mills, Iowa on January 31, 1935 to Leslie and Gertrude Hanna who were of Norwegian decent. She was a resident of Thousand Oaks for over 50 years.

As the youngest of four children, JoAnn was very close to her mother who spoke Norwegian. She was baptized and confirmed at the Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills. JoAnn attended Lake Mills High School where she was involved in a number of activities, including being a cheerleader and playing the drums in the marching band.

Following her graduation from high school in 1953, JoAnn attended Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. In 1956, she earned an Associates in Education degree from Waldorf, and went on to teach 3rd grade in Clarion, Iowa. It was in Clarion that JoAnn met and married her first husband, Don Gorrell, the father of her two daughters, Pat and Pam.

JoAnn and her family ultimately relocated to Thousand Oaks. She lived in the same house for 52 years and was fortunate enough to have several neighbors that moved in at the same time that became close friends; sharing the many chapters of her life.

After raising her daughters, she worked in the insurance office of Lombard Medical. She retired from Lombard after 20 plus years.

In 1979, JoAnn married Charles "Chuck" Butcher. Chuck had three children, Brad, Cathy, and Hugh. They were married for 33 years until Chuck's passing in 2012.

Her children and ten grandchildren were very important to her and a source of great enjoyment. She loved spending time with them, especially during the holidays. Her first great grandchild was born in January and she found great joy in meeting him at her home on Easter Sunday.

Her family is having a memorial service in her honor on Saturday, May 14, at the Christian Church of Thousand Oaks at 2:00 PM. The church is located at 301 West Avenida de las Flores. In lieu of flowers the family is asking that a donation be made in her memory to her home town church; Salem Lutheran Church: salemlakemills.com; or her favorite charity: www.thecoalition.org.