Joanne Lewis, age 76, of Rockford, IL passed away peacefully on June 9, 2026 with her daughters by her side.

Born on November 29, 1949 in Rockford, IL, Joanne was the beloved daughter of Roger and Ruth (Schul) Reedy.

Joanne devoted her life to her family and was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She will be remembered for her unwavering advocacy for children, adventurous and competitive spirit, love of travel and live music, and deep dedication to her community. An avid sports fan, Joanne found immense joy in cheering on her grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews in all of their endeavors. She rarely missed an opportunity to attend their performances or sporting events, always making her enthusiastic presence known.

Above all, Joanne treasured time spent with her family and was a constant source of love, encouragement, and support to those around her. She inspired her children, grandchildren, and great-nieces and nephews to embrace life fully, joyfully, and with compassion for others.

Joanne dedicated her professional time and talents to early childhood education. She started her career as a preschool teacher and then later served as the Director of Head Start for the City of Rockford. After retiring, she continued advocating for children through her volunteer work with CASA as a Guardian ad Litem.

She is survived by her daughters Amy Lewis and Tera (Shane) Woody, grandchildren Allison (Matthew) Walker, Jonah Pickens, Ava Pickens, Jordan Pickens and Ian Woody (Kaylee Tsimonidis), brother Jerry Reedy, sisters Ruthann Love and Kathy (Bruce) Schuenke. Nieces, nephews and their families: Jennifer (Dell) Torgerson and children Rachel & Jacob; Jeff (Lisa) Reedy and children Kellen & Megan; Chad (Sandra) Reedy and children Ben & Emma; Niki Amling (Aldo Cimino) and son Matthew; Brian (Koula) Amling and children Anastasia, Stella, Zeke & Leo; Lynn (Tony) Scandroli and children Owen, Wyatt & Isaac; Andrea (Jason) Wilkening and children Jarrett & Holden.

She is also survived by former husband Chris Lewis and sisters-in-law Mickie Reedy, Barb Reedy, Amanda (Danny) Yuccas, and Pamela (Steve) Rosenthal and many extended family members and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Roger and Ruth Reedy, and her beloved brother, Tim Reedy.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to UW Health Carbone Cancer Center, Northern Illinois Hospice and Serenity Hospice and Home for their care, support, and compassion for Joanne and her family.

On Friday, June 19, 2026, we will have a visitation from 4:00-5:30pm with special memories being shared from 5:30-6:00pm at Fitzgerald’s Funeral Home, 3910 North Rockton Avenue, Rockford, IL 61103. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Winnebago County CASA.

Link for donations:

https://www.winnebagocountycasa.org/make-a-donation

Joanne will be deeply missed and forever loved and remembered by her family and friends.