Obituary: Joan C. (Tourdot) Roessler
Joan C. (Tourdot) Roessler, 85, died peacefully at home on November 16, 2022. Joan, daughter of Lorena and Olamp Tourdot, was born in Reedsburg on January 20, 1937. She raised her six children in Plain and then moved to Madison in 1993. She is lovingly remembered by her children: Sheila (Tom) Robak, Kevin (Lisa) Roessler, Dawn (Brett) Mueller, Bryan (Kris) Roessler, Shana Jatczak, and Kurt (Dante Gamache) Roessler; grandchildren Hailey Roessler, Kelsey and Logan Roessler, Auden, Preston, and Sabella Jatczak and great grandson Odin Roessler. She is also survived by her siblings Ken (Jo Ann) Tourdot, Judy (Jack) Laufenburg, Diane Smith, Sandra (Ken) Roh, Tom (Lisa) Tourdot, and Janice (Jim) Mashak and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Joan was born at only 25 weeks gestation and survived against immense odds. Her will to live marked her throughout her long life, enabling her to survive extraordinary health challenges from infancy, through childhood, and adulthood with grace, faith, humor, and, above all, optimism. She possessed a kind, gentle, and giving soul, helping anyone in need (especially her family) while never asking for anything in return. She always remembered a birthday or anniversary with a card, email, or phone call.
Joan loved her family dearly, especially time with her grandchildren. She was a devout Roman Catholic; one priest told her she had more prayer cards than he did. She never missed a mass of obligation, even as firefighters were putting out flames from a chimney fire on her house. She prayed for others, not for herself. She was deeply interested in her family history, and undertook years of genealogical research, wanting her children to know their roots. She had a strong work ethic and often worked several jobs at once. Among her employers were Oscar Meyer, University of Wisconsin and Monona Terrace. She also had her own cleaning business. She finally retired at 75.
She is preceded in death by her parents, a grandson Kevin Roessler, a sister Lucille Dyke, a brother Ron Tourdot, an infant brother Donald, and her infant twin sister Genevieve.
Visitation was from 9:30-11:00 AM on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at St. Dennis Catholic Church, 505 Dempsey Road, Madison, WI 53714 with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM. Family will bring Joan to rest in a private burial at Calvary Cemetery in Reedsburg, WI. Please share your memories on Joan’s tribute wall at www.cressfuneralservice.com.
In lieu of flowers, Joan has requested donations in her name to St. Dennis Catholic Church in Madison.
We love you more, Mom!
Cress Funeral Service
1310 Emerald Terrace
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
608-837-9054
