JoAnn Woltman

JoAnn Louise Thomas Woltman, age 89, died Sunday July 1, 2018 in Delaware, Ohio. JoAnn was born October 21, 1928 in Columbus, Ohio to Henry and Pauline (Rohr) Thomas. She was raised in Clintonville, graduated in 1946 from North High School and then enrolled in The Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, JoAnn was an active member of the Aphi Phi Soriority and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, JoAnn joined her mother, Pauline, as a buyer for F&R Lazarus & Co. working out of the downtown Columbus headquarters. During her career as a Buyer and an Executive, she often traveled to New York City to source and plan fashion strategies for the Lazarus company. In 1957, she married Joseph Woltman and, soon after, began a transition to family life raising three sons (Alex, Mike and Chris). As a loving mother and spouse, JoAnn spent the next twenty years working as a homemaker prior to re-entering the workforce at The Ohio School for the Deaf. While there, JoAnn worked as a teacher’s aide, learned sign language, and impacted the lives of many students during a decade of dedicated service. Upon retirement, JoAnn focused her energy on friends, family and traveling to visit with children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, bother’s and sister’s in-laws, who lived throughout the country. JoAnn loved life and the role of being a supportive spouse, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friends with so many in Columbus and the surrounding communities. She and Joe were married for sixty years before his passing in April 2017. JoAnn continued to live life to the fullest with trips to California where she celebrated her 89th birthday with her sons and their families along with being very active socially at Willow-Brook Retirement community where she lived. She is survived by her three sons Alex (Gina) of Santa Clarita, CA., Mike (Bonnie) of Yorktown, VA., and Chris (Jeanne) of San Diego, CA.; grandchildren Noah, Victoria, Arden, Zachary and Matthew; brother-in-law, Richard Woltman of La Jolla, CA.; and sister-in-law Maryanne Thomas of Burbank, CA. The Woltman family extends a sincere thank you to the Willow-Brooke of Delaware Run staff, community and many friends for their tremendous care and support. The Family welcomes friends from 6:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday July 5, 2018 at RUTHERFORD FUNERAL HOME AT POWELL 450 W. Olentangy Street Powell, OH. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, July 6, 2018 at 10:00 AM at ST. JOAN OF ARC CHURCH 10700 Liberty Road Powell, OH with Father Jim Black as Celebrant. Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. To send an online condolence, please visit www.rutherfordfuneralhomes.com.

JoAnn Woltman

October 21, 1928 - July 1, 2018