Joanne Bortz

Joanne Marie (Bolich) Bortz, 93, passed away on December 28, 2022 In Cincinnati, Ohio. She was born in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Clarence James and Margaret (Bergstresser) Bolich and stepmother, Madeline (Story) Bolich. Joanne graduated from Emmaus High School in 1947 and remained close to a group of high school friends, fondly referred to as “The Dirty Dozen.” While working at Searle and Bachman Co. in Allentown, she met the love of her life, Allen E. Bortz, who passed away in 1977. They married in 1955 and enjoyed a loving and happy marriage. Joanne was always a gracious hostess, and she and Al loved to entertain, especially during summer vacations at Lake Wallenpaupack, and at their annual Fourth of July picnic. Joanne worked as a real estate broker and at First National Bank of Allentown, but her favorite job was working at Kings Island Amusement Park during her retirement years. It was important to her to be present in the lives of her daughter, Mindy, son in law Billy, and grandchildren, Brian and Lindsay Myers, so she moved to Cincinnati in 1992 and attended many family celebrations, concerts, swim meets, races, and other school activities. She will be remembered for her ever-present smile, lilting and contagious laugh, love of a good risqué joke, fruitcake and applesauce recipes, Sesame Street toy barn (she was fondly referred to as Grandma with The Barn), love of college football and the Cincinnati Reds (and her cheers of go, go, go, go, go), and belief in making memories with family and friends, who will always cherish those memories.

She is survived by her daughter Mindy (Billy) Myers, grandchildren Brian and Lindsay Myers, brothers James (Catherine) Bolich and Dennis Bolich, grandchildren Sue (Tim) Cooper, Jim (Jan) Capehart, Leslie (Michael) Pfahler, and Tom (Michelle) Capehart, and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

To honor her love of dogs, please donate in her memory to A Fair Shake for Youth at 210 W 101^st Street PH6, New York, NY 10025 or afairshakeforyouth.org/donate.

As Joanne was known to say, “Things can only get so bad and they start getting good again,” and “This too shall pass.”