Obituary: Joanne Kay Sewell

As submitted by the family:

Joanne Kay Sewell passed to our Lord on November 29, 2024, while she was enjoying what and where she loved, snorkeling in Maui.

Joanne was a beautiful person. She was very gregarious/sociable/outgoing and generous with her love, caring, and time. When someone needed assistance or encouragement she was always there with a kind word or her time to help. She always sought to make life better for all she loved.

Her family was her greatest joy, her Children, Grandchildren and Husband.

Joanne led an active life, full of joy with family, gardening, cooking, vacations, and world travel. She acknowledged and greatly appreciated the beauty of nature, plants, animals, water, sunsets and rainbows.

She found special joy in her special place, with the family cabin and beauty of the Lake Superior woods and shore.  Personal health and great nutrition were special topics of study and actualization. Vegetables, vegetarian meals, yoga, exercise and walking kept her youthful and active.

Joanne attended Clawson High School and Michigan Technological University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. She is a Registered Medical Technologist recognized by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Board of Registry. After graduation she worked in various medical labs and hospitals. She turned her laboratory knowledge and experience into a Technical Chemical career with British Petroleum Research Center. Although she enjoyed her work, she enjoyed her retirement years even more.

Joanne is survived by her husband John P. Sewell, two daughters Andra Sewell, and Heather Sewell and partner Pierre, three grandsons Dashiell, Osden and Elix. She is also survived by two brothers John Hyttinen and Bill Hyttinen, and one sister Carol Detmer, as well as their families and many nieces and nephews.

Joanne will always be remembered as a Strong-Intelligent-Loving wife, mother, Grandmother and friend.

A visitation will take place on Monday, December 16, 2024 from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM at The Healy Chapel, 332 W. Downer Pl., Aurora, IL 60506.  The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 2:00 PM at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 27 S. Edgelawn Dr., Aurora, IL 60506.

Please think of your most cherished, exemplary, fun thoughts, or experience in knowing Joanne and we will share them, when we meet.

Joanne loved butterflies. She was an annual participating member of the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network who counted butterfly in the field.

Memorials in Joanne’s name may be made to Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, https://ibmn.org or Monarch Watch, http://kuendowment.org/monarchwatch, or to Journey North Butterflies,  https://journeynorth.org/hummingbirds.