Joan Pientka

Joan Elizabeth (Harmon) Pientka of Montello, WI (formerly of Park Ridge, Illinois) passed away on October 15, 2010 at the UW Hospital in Madison WI. She was 79. Born on March 8, 1931 in Chicago to Robert and Elizabeth Harmon, she was the youngest of 4 children. She attended Alvernia High School in Chicago and the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
Joan was a devoted wife to her husband Adam of 58 years, devoted mother to 6 children and proud grandmother of 19 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, a dear sister of Jane Cwiak (Harmon) and deceased brothers Robert and John Harmon and friend of many.
Joan worked with Adam in the structural engineering and construction businesses that they owned from 1965 to 1985. Joan also worked at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge in their facilities and construction department from 1985 to 1995.
In her retirement years Joan’s life was one of service to her church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Montello and to the Montello community. For nearly 10 years, she directed and assisted with the preparation of countless funeral meals at St. John’s in service to families in the community. She was an active member of the Montello Women’s Club and St. Ann’s CCW.
Joan loved living at their home on White Lake and enjoyed spending time on the beach visiting with family and friends and swimming every day in the lake. She especially enjoyed sharing her home and the lake with her large family and looked forward to the visits each summer would bring. She was an avid gardener and nourished her family year round with the bounty of fresh vegetables she and Adam grew and preserved. She had a special talent for cooking, and her wonderful meals brought her family together many times over the years and they will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.
Joan is survived by her husband, Adam, son Kenneth (and wife Marilyn), son Jerry (and wife Aimee); daughter Carolyn Einerson (and husband Jeff), daughter Jean Thorsen (and husband Mike); son Tom; and son Jim (and wife Marija).
Visitation is on Monday, October 18 from 4 PM to 7 PM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 277 E. Montello Street, Montello WI and on Tuesday from 9:30 AM until the hour of service. Funeral mass is on Tuesday, October 19 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at 10:30 AM followed by rite of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Cemetery. Lunch will be served at St. John’s following the funeral. Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation at www.sjogrens.org/main-payment-page/in-memoriam-donation.