Joanne Nesteruk, 94, passed away on Thursday, March 28, 2024. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 57 years, John Nesteruk. She affectionally called him “my guy”.

Educated at Connecticut College and Cornell University, she ultimately received an Ivy League graduate degree, something especially impressive for a woman during the 1950s. This was the start of her deep-seated, lifelong belief in the value of education. Once her children had reached school age, she worked as a high school math teacher and guidance counselor until her retirement.

She is survived by three children and their spouses: Jeffrey Nesteruk and Hedi Nesteruk of Lancaster, Pa.; Janet Nesteruk and Scott Packer of Watertown, Conn.; and Jim Nesteruk and Cindy Cromer of Rangeley, Me., and five grandchildren: Caroline Nesteruk, Vincent Packer, Melanie Nesteruk, Ryan Nesteruk, and Mitch Nesteruk. Also, sister-in-law Sally Willard and her beloved nieces and nephews from the Willard, Sweeney and Daggett families, cousins and many friends.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by parents Esther and Samuel Willard, her brother, Richard Willard, and her sister and brother-in-law Diane and Thomas Guertin.

Friends remember Joanne as a “a wise, vivacious, warm, and loving person”, someone who could make everyone “feel special”. She was adept at finding moments of joy and beauty in everyday life, from supplying the surprise of an unexpected chocolate bar in a Christmas stocking for her kids to playing Doggie Doo with her grandchildren on the living room rug. When you would call her in her later years, she would regularly quote, “Life is Sweeter with You”, from a poster she hung amid her artwork on her apartment walls.

Along with her husband, John, she found a special joy and attraction to water, from family vacations at Point O’ Woods beach in Connecticut to visits to the Florida coast to lake views from their home on Sebago Lake in Maine. As she would water her flowers in Sebago each morning, she would say, “Another day in paradise.”

Her life was full of volunteering and community service. While a high-school teacher, she started a Service Club for students to become more involved in the community. She also worked to pass Connecticut’s first bottle bill to encourage recycling. In the Sebago Lake community, she was a key supporter and advocate for the town library and led an initiative to support local artists. In her retirement years, Joanne and John worked for four years supporting Habitat for Humanity. They also volunteered at the Warming Hut in Sebago and the Soup Kitchen in Portland.

A deeply religious person, she lived her beliefs every day. Always positive and interested in others, she was a natural organizer, marking her efforts with good humor. She was unafraid to speak her mind and sought to bring out the best in others. We are all better for having known and loved her.

Visiting hours will be held 5pm - 7pm on Friday, May 3, 2024, at John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00am - 11:00am Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Church of the Assumption, 27 Adams Street South, Manchester, CT 06040.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joanne’s memory may be made to: Habitat for Humanity International, 322 West Lamar Street, Americus, Georgia 31709-3543 USA.

Please click the link below to view the livestreaming of the funeral service:

https://www.facebook.com/TierneyFuneralHome