P. Joan Boettcher

P. Joan Boettcher, age 95, passed peacefully to her Heavenly home on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center, Rockford, Illinois. Born on July 17, 1929, in Princeton, Illinois to Norman H. and Portia C. (Pease) Weeks, Joan grew up in the small community of Bureau Junction. She attended schools in Bureau and Princeton and in 1945, she moved to Rockford. Following her graduation from Rockford East High School in 1947, she began working at the Rockford Municipal TB Sanitarium. In 1949, Joan started a new job as the bookkeeper for Christenson’s Furniture where she met her future husband. She married Douglas Boettcher on September 2,1950. They celebrated 69 wonderful years of marriage before his passing on September 1, 2019.

Joan’s strong Christian faith and her family were the cornerstones of her life. She was an excellent homemaker, loved to sew and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was lovingly called “Puzzle Nuts” because she adored jigsaw puzzles and always had one in progress on the table. When her children were in school, she worked in the cafeteria at Lincoln Middle School and later, during her retirement years, worked part-time at JoAnn Fabrics. As a long-time member of Broadway Covenant Church, Joan taught Sunday School and served faithfully on the library committee for many years. She will always be remembered for her quiet demeanor, kind spirit and beautiful smile.

Survived by her children, Linda (James) Schou, Mary Jo Haney, David (Gina) Boettcher, Robert (Brenda) Boettcher, and John (Julie) Boettcher; grandchildren, Jenny (Nels) Chelstrom, Brian (Melinda) Schou, Robert Haney, Joe (Katie) Haney, Laurie Boettcher, Natalie Boettcher, Emily Boettcher, Joe (Janell) Boettcher and Andy (Julie) Boettcher; step-grandchildren, Janice Steele and Dan Haney; great-grandchildren, Brandon and Emma Schou, William and Penny Haney; step great-grandchildren, Nicole Steele and son Spencer, Savannah Steele and daughters, Violet and Rose. Predeceased by her husband, Douglas, grandson, Steven Boettcher, her parents, grandparents and sisters, Elizabeth Griffith and Norma Bleed, and son-in-law, Robert Haney. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff of Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center and OSF Hospice for the wonderful care they provided to Joan.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 7th, 2025 in the chapel at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center, 3470 N. Alpine Rd. with Pastor Andy Boettcher officiating. Private burial in Arlington Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. on Saturday in the chapel. Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory assisted the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Carpenter’s Place or Samaritan’s Purse.