JoAnne Patricia Reese Young, 58, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, lost her battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma on February 6, 2003.  Just before she died, she opened her eyes and nurse’s aid, Shelly, asked JoAnne if Jesus is here.  JoAnne said, “Yes, Jesus is here.”  Then she closed her eyes and died.

JoAnne was born in Yakima, Washington, to John Albert Reese and Rose Patricia Rooney Reese, the second of 3 children.  Her ancestors were among the first settlers in the Yakima Valley, emigrating from Ireland.

JoAnne attended St. Paul’s Elementary School in Yakima and was in the second graduating class at YCCHS, Yakima Central Catholic High School.

In 1961, she met the young man who was to become her husband.  Jim was attending the J. M. Perry Institute in Yakima, majoring in Industrial Instrumentation.

On August 4, 1962, they were married in Yakima, then moved to Richland, where both enrolled at Columbia Basin Junior College, JoAnne in nursing and Jim in instrumentation.

She recently retired after nearly 30 years of part time on the Surgical Floor at Kadlec Medical Center.  Numerous times, former patients would stop her in a store or the library, or on the street and thank her for her special care.  They couldn’t remember her name, but they remembered her pretty white hair and her devotion to her patients.

JoAnne felt strongly that everyone should give back to their church, school, and community.  She chaired fund-raisers at Christ the King Church and School for over twenty years.  She also volunteered in the health room and cafeteria, plus cleaned the church and weeded the flower gardens.

As a park volunteer for the city, she pruned and trimmed the roses in Howard Amon Park, John Dam Plaza, and the Harry Kramer Center.

She and Jim also took part in the clean up of the Yakima Delta and Bateman Island.  Plus they delivered meals for Meals on Wheels.

Expressing one’s opinions on political and social issues was important to JoAnne.  She had written nearly 100 letters to the editor, plus had 2 editorial specials printed in the Tri-City Herald newspaper.

She also believed it was a duty of all citizens to attend and offer opinions at city council, planning commission and Parks and Recreation Commission meetings, and to communicate with congressmen and senators.

But JoAnne’s greatest joy in life was her family.  She felt there was no finer accomplishment for a wife and mother than to provide a loving home with plenty of cookies and lots of good memories.   She proved that time after time by putting her husband’s and children’s wants and needs always before her own.

She was extremely proud of her children’s many accomplishments and even more proud of the fine adults they had become.  When grandchildren began to arrive, she and Jim found a new joy.

Following Jim’s retirement in 1995, they traveled throughout the American Southwest and the Hawaiian Islands, visiting family and enjoying our scenic wonders, fishing, rock hounding, fossil digging, visiting museums and points of historical significance.

JoAnne is survived by her loving husband, Jim; daughters, Elizabeth Gibson and spouse, Michael, Kennewick; Jennifer Clark and spouse, Tim, Fort Collins, Colorado; sons, Aaron, Richland; John and spouse, Sabrina, and granddaughter, Ashley, Finley; Bill and spouse, Angie, and grandsons, Caanan, Alexander, and Isaac, Boise, Idaho.  She is also survived by her sister, Kathy Wagner and spouse, Brian, of Yakima; special niece, Johnel and nephew, Matt; plus numerous cousins.  She is also survived by numerous friends whose prayers and thoughtfulness throughout her illness were greatly appreciated.  A special thank you to all the doctors and nurses who did their best to help JoAnne during her illness and to Hospice in Kennewick who did their best to make JoAnne’s last days as comfortable as possible.

JoAnne was preceded in death by her parents, John and Rose, and her brother, John, Jr.

Recitation of the Rosary will take place at 6:00 p.m. Monday, February 10, 2003, at Einan’s Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 11, 2003, at Christ the King Church followed by graveside services in Sunset Memorial Gardens and a reception at Christ the King Church.

Gray and black are somber, lifeless colors.  JoAnne asks that the colors of life be worn at her funeral to celebrate her time on Earth.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ the King Catholic Church Building Fund, 1126 Long Ave. Richland, WA 99352.