Superhero Joanie Byrnes caught a direct flight to the pearly gates on December 29, 2017, surrounded either in person or in heart by numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, as well as by Curly Lambeau and McGruff. She joins her beloved Danny Boy, her wonderful adoptive parents (John and Frances Hudson), her beautiful birth mother (Ruth Schwaab Plate), as well as Seamus, Butkus, Smithwick, and other family pets up in heaven.

An only child raised in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, Joanie was a 1956 graduate of Divine Savior High School and a 1960 graduate of Marquette University, with a degree in education. And teach she did, not only in the traditional sense (as a substitute teacher and homebound instructor in the Amery School District, CCD teacher at St. Joseph's Church for 20+ years, Girl Scout leader, etc.), but also in a subtle way – life was full of teaching moments and she took every opportunity to educate, with the only question being whether the recipient recognized it in the moment.

Joanie was perhaps better known for her volunteerism; her desire to give back to the community knew no bounds. Organizations that benefitted from her time and energy include St. Joseph's Church, the Thomas More Center for Preaching and Prayer, the Diocese of Superior, the Amery Public Library, Amery Regional Medical Center, Amery High School Band Boosters, Amery Fall Festival and Tara Woods. She served multiple terms on many boards and committees – once was usually never enough. It goes without saying that her organization skills were unparalleled.

Joanie's interests were many: yellow lined notepads, riding her scooter with reckless abandon ("Turbo Granny"), closets, making lists, eating fettucine alfredo, sunshine and beaches, the Green Bay Packers, cribbage, fairness and equality, riding camels bareback (which she often gave up for Lent!), puzzles and games, the University of Wisconsin Marching Band, and getting speeding tickets. She had a life-long love affair with books, and was so well read and had such a command of the English language that people often had to turn to a dictionary to understand what she was saying. Joanie shared her love of books with everyone, starting with her children and grandchildren, to whom she spent thousands of hours reading at the top of the stairs at 416 Riverside.

She loved her family more than anything else in the world, and for all of her overachievements, this was the greatest. Joanie is survived by her nine children (born in a span of ten years and four months, with no twins or Irish twins!): Bob, Sheila, John (Maria), Mary Bridget (David), Colleen (Mark), Tim (Jennifer), Kevin (Christina), Jim (Kris) and Brian (Laurie). In addition, she has thirty grandchildren: Nate, Michael, Ashley, Sean, Catherine, Laura, Jacob, Peter, Ryan, Taylor, Nicholas, Carter, Mikaila, Lauren, Alexia, Isabella, Jonathon, Tara, Austin, Andrew, Dominic, Bailey, Sophia, Luke, Mia, Joseph, Alexander, Marian, Delilah and Dimitri. Her survivors also include five great-grandchildren: Tianna, Brian, Wyatt, Cash and Amelia, with another Baby ?? on the way. One of the final joys of Joanie's life was learning she had a half-brother, Larry Plate, whom she had the privilege of meeting six months ago. It goes without saying that Joanie's definition of "family" included everyone whom she loved, and
who loved her back. There was always room for one more in her household.


One of Joanie's most endearing traits was her eternal optimism and her ability to find the
good in everyone, especially family. "Love the sinner, loathe the sin." Even in a person's darkest hour, her love was a constant presence. Joanie lived a life that was productive and giving, and she encouraged her children and grandchildren to do the same. Her two favorite mottos, hanging on her refrigerator, espouse her life's philosophy: "Cheer up, make yourself useful, mind your manners, and avoid self-pity"; and "be well, do good works, keep in touch." Most recently, she was telling the grandchildren to "be a bobber." Joanie not only shared these words of wisdom, but she lived by them.

Joanie died in the same way she lived – with dignity and grace. Leaving this world on her own terms, Joanie did what she did best – educating and guiding her children, not just how to live life, but how to leave it as well.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you do a good deed for someone. Pay it forward. Volunteer. Support a local fundraising effort (Joanie was known to purchase multiple boxes of Thin Mints from any Girl Scout that knocked on her door, no matter how many boxes she already had ordered for that particular year). If you can't make up your mind, a donation to the Amery Public Library is a perfectly acceptable alternative.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Friday, January 5, 2018 at the Williamson ~ White Funeral Home, 222 Harriman Avenue North, Amery, WI and 1 hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, January 6, 2018 from St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1050 Keller Avenue, Amery, WI. Interment will be at the Amery Cemetery. To leave online condolences please visit www.williamsonwhite.com Arrangements were made with the Williamson ~ White Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Amery.