Obituary: Joan Rita Wodack

June 2, 1941 ~ May 13, 2020

  Joan Rita Wodack, 78, of Sturgeon Bay, was called Home to be with the Lord and was reunited with her husband, Gary, early Wednesday morning, May 13, 2020 at AuroraBayCare Medical Center in Green Bay.

     She was born June 2, 1941 in Sturgeon Bay, the daughter of Marvin Arthur Schuster and Myrtle Hannah (Grovogel) Schuster. Joan attended Sevastopol High School and graduated with the class of 1959. On February 1, 1964, she was united in marriage to Gary “Woody” Wodack at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Maplewood. They were blessed with over 53 years of marriage until he preceded her in death on June 20, 2017. Prior to starting a family, Joan worked at Amity but once she had children, she took pride in being a stay at home mom and was able to be there for all her children and grandchildren. As a child, Joan grew up attending St. Peter’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay. You could often find Joan enjoying her favorite pastime…shopping! She had a passion for decorating especially for the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Joan was fond of doing crafts and having her coffee time while visiting with her friends at McDonald’s. She enjoyed going to the races to cheer on her favorite driver and spending time with her family, particularly attending her grandchildren’s sporting events, musicals, and plays. Her grandchildren were her life.

     Joan’s love will live on in the hearts of her three children, Bryan “Woody” (Mary) Wodack of Sturgeon Bay, Craig (Stacy) Wodack of Institute, and Heidi (Paul) DeGrave of Luxemburg; nine grandchildren, Brady and Carley Wodack, Nick Merchant, Kari (Berkley) March, and Laura (Jeremy) Schultz, Hailey, Abigail, and, Greyson DeGrave; four great-grandchildren, Amaya, Maverick, Zara, and Danica; sisters, Charlotte Schneider and Suzanne Wessel; brother-in-law, Douglas Greaves; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Myrtle Schuster; husband, Gary “Woody”; brothers, Roger (Marion) Schuster and Doug (Roberta) Schuster; sister, Gail Greaves; and brothers-in-law, Kenneth Schneider and Robert Wessel.

     Joan’s life will be honored with a funeral service outside of Huehns Funeral Home on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. with Pastor Joel Sauer of St. Peter’s Lutheran officiating. She will be laid to rest in Bayside Cemetery next to her husband.

     An indoor farewell will be available at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. following the regulation of nine or fewer at a time. An outdoor farewell will also be available via drive-by or walk up, outside the west entrance of the funeral home, from 11:15 until the start of the funeral service.

     Huehns Funeral Home in Sturgeon Bay is assisting the Wodack family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Joan may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.