January 16 1932 December 28 2019
Joanne Estler (nee Bailey) January 16, 1932 – December 28, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card| Memorial Donation After an extended battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Joanne passed away while surrounded by her family on December 28, 2019, just shy of her 88th birthday. Joanne was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1932 to Wray and Wilma Bailey. After graduating from Michigan State University Joanne became a third-grade teacher, a profession that she loved. She stopped teaching full time after the birth of her daughter, but continued substitute teaching into her 60’s. For most of her life she was an active member of the Detroit Yacht Club where in her 20’s and 30’s she regularly raced two person sailboats, and often went on to represent the DYC in regional competitions, often with her own mother as her partner. Later, as motherhood became more demanding, she raced sailboats less, but found time to join two bowling leagues, scoring over 200 on multiple occasions. And if she had one regret in life, it was that she discovered golf so late in life. But once she did, she was hooked. Through each of these activities, she made great life-long friends. Joanne married Donald Estler in 1960, and sadly lost him to cancer in 1973. She was a wonderful, hard working, single mother in an era when it wasn’t easy to be a single mother. Joanne eventually developed dementia, and had resided near her daughter at Eastcastle Place in Milwaukee for the last 13 years of her life. Her family will be forever grateful to the kind and caring staff who took such good care of her for so long. In her final days, many staff members came to offer her hugs and kisses, say their goodbye’s and share stories with her family of how special she was to them. She was blessed to have caregivers who loved her. Her Horizon Hospice team was instrumental in helping her final transition to be peaceful. Joanne is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Jonathan Eder, her son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Erika Estler, as well as her grandchildren, David, Andrew & Brendan Eder and Megan, Bailey & Riley Estler. A private service and celebration of her life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or any charitable organization of your choice would be appreciated. Print Obituary
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Joanne Estler nee Bailey January 16 1932 December 28 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Milwaukee, state: Wisconsin