Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Loving Thoughts of our Sister Joanne
On behalf of our family, I sincerely thank all of you for being present with us this today as we celebrate the life of my Sister, Joanne. We have all been blessed by her sweet and caring ways, and we thank God for the Gift of her life and the love she shared with us.
Recently I read a message that said, “People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.” The message states that someone who is in your life for a reason is usually there to meet a need, for guidance and support, or to aid us in some way.
Some people come into our lives for a season – a time to share, grow or learn. We have all had people who were right there when we needed them, but soon one of us moved on.
Then there are those special people who come to us for a lifetime – those who teach us life lessons and help us to build a solid foundation. This is the role of a sister! Although Joanne was the firstborn of the Santoro girls, she had to open her heart to three more of us, and she did. We remember her dedication to her schoolwork, her ladylike ways, her love of anything pink, especially the peonies that bloomed outside of our home just in time for her June birthday. As we grew up, she shared her faith, her joys and sorrows, her gratitude for God’s blessings, her love and dedication to family and friends, her genuine concern for others, and her beautiful smile no matter how she was feeling.
Joanne always took the time to ask about everyone and pray for all who were in need. She had a sweet and gentle soul. She loved the stories of the Saints and how their faith in God guided them.
We kept in close touch through phone calls always catching up on each other’s lives and the happenings in our families. We discussed the latest news, movies we watched - and as we got older, our latest test results and minor surgical procedures. She always had a listening ear and caring advice. She never forgot a birthday or important date, as a greeting card would arrive for every special occasion.
We all prayed for Joanne’s miraculous healing – and now we know that she truly received it. Her perfect healing has come in the fullness of eternal life, her work on earth completed and her heavenly job of taking care of us begins. She continues to teach us to care for one another, her love remains in our hearts, and we honor her life by imitating her sweet and thoughtful ways.
Lifetime relationships with those we love teach us lifetime lessons of sharing and caring. We all thank God for the gift of Joanne’s life and love - and all she has taught us by the way she lived. It is said that to love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.
Thank you, Jo, for being a part of our lives – for many reasons, for all seasons and for an everlasting lifetime. You are truly our Angel and we will love you forever!
~ Written by Angie and Barbara
