Joan's Obituary
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| My Mom on her 85th Birthday |
Obituary
Joan Patricia Rohlik Petitti was born in Aurora Illinois on June 16, 1933 to Ed and Helen Rohlik. She was the oldest of 5 girls and younger sister to half brother Bill Sullivan. Joan took piano lessons starting at age 7 and played morning mass and funerals at St. Mary's Catholic Church in DeKalb, IL, until she graduated from St. Mary's High School.
Joan attended Northern Illinois University until she met and married the love of her life,Pasquale (Pat) Vito Petitti. They were at the summer resort town of Lake Delevan, Wisconsin, where they would build a cabin and spend their summers for many years while their children were growing. Joan was an avid reader and writer and wrote a column in the Catholic Messenger while her children were young. Joan has always been a fitness buff and in the 1970s she opened a women's health spa called Genie Figure Salon. She was always an avid walker and logged many miles with her children and grandchildren. Joan and Pat raised five children in the Midwest before retiring to St Pete Beach in 1991.
In 1995 Joan was inspired by her grandchildren to develop Heavenly Saints, a line of trading cards based on the lives of the Saints. Her cards were featured on The Paul Harvey radio program, and Good Morning America where Judd Rose interviewed her. At the age of 69, Joan went back to college to earn her BA in Creative Writing at Eckerd College. She fell in love with play writing and wrote over 40 one-act plays that were widely produced in the St Petersburg area. Joan loved the theatre and traveled to New York and London among other places to see many shows. She loved travel in general and she and Pat visited many places around the world and one year took their entire family including grandchildren on a grand trip to Italy.
Joan loved the arts and was a docent at the Dali Museum for 15 years. She traveled with her daughter Susie to Dali's home in Cadaqués Spain. Joan loved a good party and was very social. She and Pat hosted many gatherings at their home in Pass-A-Grille and she was a long time member of the Pass-A-Grille Women's Club. Joan was a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church.
Joan was preceded in death by her sisters Helen Rohlik of Orlando, FL, Elaine Rohlik Polishuk of Boston, MA half brother William Sullivan of San Diego, and her daughter in law Mary Spina Petitti of Tavares, FL.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Pasquale; sisters Jean Lillibridge of Shreveport and Sister Joyce Rohlik of St. Pete Beach; son Edward Petitti and granddaughter Laura Petitti of Tavares, FL; daughter Patti Schmitz (Richard) and grandchildren Susie Schmitz (Max) Tarzana, CA, Dr. Anna Moriarty (Michael) North Liberty, IA, Joseph Schmitz of Chicago, and Frank Schmitz of Houston; son Paul Petitti (Jean) Lake Okoboji, IA grandson Tony Petitti (Sara) and great grandchildren Bodhi and Wilder, Santa Monica, CA grandsons James Petitti and Alex Petitti of Lake Okoboji, IA, and grandson Tom Petitti of Ames, IA; daughter Lori Petitti Sakamoto (Scott) of Santa Monica, and Cooper; daughter Susie Tilton (Scott) of Germantown, TN and grandson Nicholas (Madison) and great grandchild Baby Tilton due July 2020 of Hendersonville, TN and granddaughter Christina Tilton Carter (Dave) of Hendersonville, TN. Most of these family members were at her side when Joan passed to heaven.
Joan attended Northern Illinois University until she met and married the love of her life,Pasquale (Pat) Vito Petitti. They were at the summer resort town of Lake Delevan, Wisconsin, where they would build a cabin and spend their summers for many years while their children were growing. Joan was an avid reader and writer and wrote a column in the Catholic Messenger while her children were young. Joan has always been a fitness buff and in the 1970s she opened a women's health spa called Genie Figure Salon. She was always an avid walker and logged many miles with her children and grandchildren. Joan and Pat raised five children in the Midwest before retiring to St Pete Beach in 1991.
In 1995 Joan was inspired by her grandchildren to develop Heavenly Saints, a line of trading cards based on the lives of the Saints. Her cards were featured on The Paul Harvey radio program, and Good Morning America where Judd Rose interviewed her. At the age of 69, Joan went back to college to earn her BA in Creative Writing at Eckerd College. She fell in love with play writing and wrote over 40 one-act plays that were widely produced in the St Petersburg area. Joan loved the theatre and traveled to New York and London among other places to see many shows. She loved travel in general and she and Pat visited many places around the world and one year took their entire family including grandchildren on a grand trip to Italy.
Joan loved the arts and was a docent at the Dali Museum for 15 years. She traveled with her daughter Susie to Dali's home in Cadaqués Spain. Joan loved a good party and was very social. She and Pat hosted many gatherings at their home in Pass-A-Grille and she was a long time member of the Pass-A-Grille Women's Club. Joan was a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church.
Joan was preceded in death by her sisters Helen Rohlik of Orlando, FL, Elaine Rohlik Polishuk of Boston, MA half brother William Sullivan of San Diego, and her daughter in law Mary Spina Petitti of Tavares, FL.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Pasquale; sisters Jean Lillibridge of Shreveport and Sister Joyce Rohlik of St. Pete Beach; son Edward Petitti and granddaughter Laura Petitti of Tavares, FL; daughter Patti Schmitz (Richard) and grandchildren Susie Schmitz (Max) Tarzana, CA, Dr. Anna Moriarty (Michael) North Liberty, IA, Joseph Schmitz of Chicago, and Frank Schmitz of Houston; son Paul Petitti (Jean) Lake Okoboji, IA grandson Tony Petitti (Sara) and great grandchildren Bodhi and Wilder, Santa Monica, CA grandsons James Petitti and Alex Petitti of Lake Okoboji, IA, and grandson Tom Petitti of Ames, IA; daughter Lori Petitti Sakamoto (Scott) of Santa Monica, and Cooper; daughter Susie Tilton (Scott) of Germantown, TN and grandson Nicholas (Madison) and great grandchild Baby Tilton due July 2020 of Hendersonville, TN and granddaughter Christina Tilton Carter (Dave) of Hendersonville, TN. Most of these family members were at her side when Joan passed to heaven.
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