Joanne Charney

Joanne Carolyn Charney, 86, of Chillicothe, passed peacefully from this life on September 20, 2018 at the Adena Regional Medical Center.

She was born August 5, 1932 in Painesville, OH to the late Walter Emil and Elna Caroline Pohto Makee. She married Edward Charney, and was married 42 years until his death in 1994. She is survived by two sons, Michael (Marilyn) Charney, Cincinnati and Stephen (Mary) Charney, Chillicothe; two daughters, Karen Hermann Carr, Gulf Breeze, FL and Lisa Charney, Gainesville, FL; nine grandchildren, Leighanne, Matthew, Katherine, Sarah, Amanda, John, Hodge, Austin and Joseph; four great-grandchildren, Caroline, Amelia, Harper and Claire; a sister, Lois Makee Jacobson; two nephews, Daniel (Linda) and David Jacobson; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; and her lifelong best friends, Suzie, Marilyn and Carolyn. She was preceded in death by her daughter Gail, grandson James, an infant sister, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Joanne graduated from Painesville Harvey High School in 1950 and was one of the few females in her class to go on to college. She graduated from Ohio University in an accelerated program in 1952, earning her teaching certificate in elementary education. Joanne always knew she wanted to be a teacher. As a high school student she was involved in the Future Teachers of America club, and was asked to substitute teach while still in high school. Her first teaching position was at the Madison Avenue Elementary School in Painesville. She married Edward Charney and they moved to Ross County where she developed the first Kindergarten program, moving the class from a church in Kingston to the Zane Trace Schools. She stopped teaching for several years to raise her five children. Although not baptized Catholic, Joanne was very active with St. Peter Church and Bishop Flaget School.

In the early 1970's she returned to college and to teaching, earning a degree from Ohio University and taking graduate classes at Mt. St. Joseph College. She taught for the rest of her working career at several schools in the Chillicothe City School District. She loved teaching. She would get to work early, stay late, and be working on school projects into the night. During the summer she taught Arts and Crafts with the City Recreation Department. She was a talented and devoted teacher. She loved to read and was still checking out library books only a few months ago. Most recently she was a member of the Chillicothe Retired Teachers Association.

Joanne was a beautiful person inside and out, and devoted her life to taking care of children. She was an amazing mother, grandmother, role model and wife and we were lucky to have had her in our lives.

Funeral services will be held 7:00 pm Monday at the Haller Funeral Home & Crematory, Rev. Sean Dooley officiating. Graveside services will be held 10:00 am Tuesday in St. Margaret Cemetery. Friends may call 5-7 pm Monday at Haller's.
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