Joann M. Aimone

JoAnn Mae Johnson Aimone, 85, of Peoria, formerly of Pekin, passed away at 12:07 AM on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at Unity Point Methodist Hospital in Peoria. She was born May 10, 1932, in Grafton, ND., to John T. and Hilda Josephine (Brende) Johnson. JoAnn is survived by one son; Joseph Anthony Aimone Il, of Pekin; two grandchildren; Joseph James (Audrey) Aimone, of Pekin, and Jessica Janine (Clint) Martin, of Princeville, IL; four great grandchildren; Ara Lorenza Aimone and Vincent Joseph Aimone of Pekin, Connor James Martin and Joshua Christian Martin both of Princeville; one son-in-law, Claude Blackburn, of Aledo, Texas; five nephews, three nieces, and several cousins. Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband Dr. Joseph (Joe) Anthony Aimone on March 31, 2011, at Proctor Hospital, in Peoria, and one daughter, Teresa Lynn (Claude) Blackburn, on August 31, 2011, at her home in Fort Worth, Texas; four siblings, Myrtle (Herman) Lee, Emma (Daniel) Burke, Hazel (Loehle) Gast, and Kenneth Ingvald (Geneva) Johnson; and two nephews. JoAnn was raised in Grafton, North Dakota, where her grandparents homesteaded in the Red River Valley after emigrating from Norway. They joined other families to establish South Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Grafton. JoAnn attended Rural School District #2 where her mother had taught and all members of her immediate family attended; JoAnn's District #2 teachers included her sisters Myrtle and Emma. In 1949, she graduated from Grafton High School and in 1952 from St. Luke's School of Nursing in Fargo, ND. JoAnn met Joe, a student at the University Of IL. College Of Dentistry, while she was doing a nursing student affiliation at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL. They were married July 5, 1952, in Fargo, ND. Following her graduation, JoAnn worked as a Registered Nurse at Fantus Clinic and Cook County Hospital. After Joe's graduation in 1954, they moved to naval housing near North Chicago while he served in the Navy Air Force Dental Division at Glenview. Son Joseph was born February 1, 1955, at the Naval Hospital in North Chicago. In 1956, they moved to Pekin, IL., Joe's hometown, to open the Dr. Joseph A. Aimone Dental Practice at 350 Ann Eliza. Daughter Teresa Lynn Aimone was born September 4, 1956 at Pekin Hospital. In 1957, the practice moved to 420 Margaret, but in 1961, they donated the building to the United Way and moved the practice to 1245 Florence Avenue. In December, 1999, they retired and sold the practice. JoAnn worked in the practice for 35 years, beginning after the children were in school, especially enjoying the personal relationships she developed with patients. JoAnn was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church of Pekin and was involved in all aspects of the church as well as the Pekin community. In 1977, they built a home on Ten Mile Lake near Hackensack, MN., where they attended St. Paul's Lutheran Church and enjoyed participating in church and community activities. After retirement they spent several months each year at the lake until 2008 when they sold the home due to Joe's declining health. In November, 2011, JoAnn moved from Pekin to Lutheran Hillside Village, Peoria, where she immersed herself in the Village's people and activities, including crosswords, spelling bees, Jigsaw puzzles, and pinochle. She befriended others easily and compassionately advocated for improved quality of life for others. She valued the spiritual support of Chaplain Paul Parks during his service at Lutheran Hillside Village. JoAnn was a voracious reader and maintained a keen eye on social and political issues through newspapers and television. She loved movies, baseball, basketball, hot coffee, bread with butter, lobster, and fresh cut flowers. JoAnn said her life could be summed up with gratitude to her parents, siblings, and extended family for their love and encouragement. She was grateful for her Norwegian ancestry, Lutheran faith, and North Dakota roots. Family and friends were important to JoAnn, and she believed they contributed greatly to her well-being; her loved ones always said that JoAnn was loyal and generous. She expressed special appreciation to her niece Dianne and husband Tom Clemens for their selfless love and support, to Steve and Ricky Kingdon of Pekin, her many faithful friends, and her Special Friend Arthur Katz of Lutheran Hillside Village. Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM, Thursday, May 25, 2017 at Henderson Funeral Home & Crematory, 2131 Velde Dr., Pekin, with Rev. Paul Park officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM immediately prior to the service. Joe and JoAnn's ashes will be inurned at St. Paul's Lutheran Church Columbarium, Hackensack, MN. Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran School, 3201 Court Street, Pekin, Il, 61554, or St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 2208 3rd St., Hackensack, MN 56452. Memorial service Thursday, May 25, 2017 11:00 AM delete Pekin,IL 61554 Visitation Thursday, May 25, 2017 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM Henderson Funeral Home and Crematory 2131 Velde Dr. Pekin,IL 61554