Joanne was born on April 13th 1931 in Sublette, IL. Her parents were Les Oester (former mayor of Mendota and owner of Mendota John Deere Implement) and Elsie (Kromm) Oester. She was welcomed home by 2 older sisters Dorothy and Evelyn. The family resided in their old family home on Illinois Avenue in Mendota. She attended Mendota schools and received good grades. Being a tomboy, she loved the outdoors and all sports.
In the mid 40’s, the soldiers were returning home from the war. Joanne met the love of her life, Willis M. Snyder of Mendota, who served in the 5th Armored Division in the south of France (Patton’s ghost troops). They were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mendota on December 28th 1949. Her husband Willis and his father Gerald Snyder ran Snyder Auto Electric Service on Thirteenth Avenue in Mendota. Her only child, a daughter, Sherry, was born on November 3rd 1952...on Election Day. Joanne didn't get to vote for Eisenhower...but he won anyway! Joanne went on to become an election judge in Mendota for many years.
Joanne was a homemaker at heart. She created a loving home with her skilled decorating and delicious home cooking. She made grape jam from her own grapevines, watermelon rind pickles and date nut coffeecakes. They were her specialties. She enjoyed sewing and crafted many Halloween costumes. She also designed and sewed baby bibs for the First Methodist Church in Mendota of which she and Willis were members.  She was a troop leader for Sherry’s Camp Fire Girls Unit and went to their outings at Camp Tuckabatchee near Ottawa. She and Willis attended musical performances while Sherry was in the band during junior high and high school.
Joanne and Willis loved to play cards. They learned the game of pinochle and helped form a couples club and a ladies only club with each participant taking turns to be the host. Game nights were a great leisure pastime and included lots of laughs and loving friends; with just enough serious play and strategy to win! Along with cards, she and Willis were avid golfers as long standing members of The Mendota Country Club. Golf on a Friday would end with a delicious fish dinner in the clubhouse. Joanne played many golf tournaments, usually placing in the top tier.
In 1969 they moved from the old family home on Illinois Avenue to a bigger home on Burlington Street. They fretted about their decision to buy the house asking themselves repeatedly if they were crazy! As it turned out, they were not crazy and enjoyed 52 years there. Joanne loved doing her own work. She never shied away from painting, gardening, tree trimming, bush cutting, mowing, cleaning up after storms and planting beautiful flowers along the driveway. She was fiercely independent and would not ask for help. She would throw the refuse on a tarp in the back of her van and tote it out to the local dump. As she aged, grandson David was to the rescue with his help and a truck for clean ups.
Joanne and Willis continued their love of golf but she also discovered a new passion...tennis! She became friends with Helen Koehler from Peru in the early 70’s who introduced her to the action of tennis and the Christian Science Church in Peru IL. She joined the church and it’s members with her whole heart, including becoming the needed groundskeeper into her 80’s! Joanne’s tennis game was fast and accurate and opponents feared to face her on the court. Joanne and Willis also attended summer adult learning sessions at Principia College in Elsa IL. Joanne’s tennis prowess became known there as well.
Joanne and Willis had 3 grandsons; David in 1977, Sean in 1986 and Willis in 1989. Grandma Joanne was always at the ready to babysit. She organized magical whole family trips to Lake of the Ozarks in MO. Carefully planned accommodations were made to stay away from the carnival side of town! Lots of fishing meant delicious fresh fish dinners. Swimming was enjoyed either in the lake right out the front door or by a hike up the hill to the pool. The first year grandpa Les and grandma Elsie were along. All of them crowded into the van and took a trip to a “drive thru safari” when it was 106 degrees! And all survived! As the grandsons got older, trips to Rockford for stays at the Howard Johnson's Motel became a routine. There the boys learned the value of a quarter in the arcade! Swimming at the indoor pool was great and Grandpa Willis especially loved the buffet!
Joanne and Willis loved to travel. The family drove to WA state to visit Willis’s brother and family and drove to FL to visit Les and Elsie after they retired there. There were trips to Hawaii, to Europe and to Lake of the Woods in Canada to fish, relax and watch toddler Sean while serious fishing was done.
Joanne and Willis also attended most of his 5th Armored Division reunions which occurred during the summer in different cities across the United States. Joanne always took pride in that Willis could still WOW the ladies by wearing his army uniform! In 1994 they traveled to Luxembourg in Europe for the 50th anniversary celebration of Luxembourg’s liberation.
Mendota is famous for having the Sweet Corn Festival every summer with a parade on Sunday afternoon. Joanne would find great viewing spots in the shade around the corner from her home and place lawn chairs there to secure everyone's seats. Joanne and family were so proud to watch Willis march in the parade every year wearing his original army uniform!
Joanne participated in the Meals on Wheels program thru the Mendota Community Hospital. She enjoyed the meet and greet aspect of delivering meals, becoming acquainted with the recipients and checking on their health and well-being daily.
In October of 2021 at the age of 90, Joanne moved out of her big home on Burlington Street in Mendota to a cozy country home alongside her daughter on the McInerney family farm north of Earlville. She maintained her independence by staying alone and walked between the two houses to join the family for meals, conversation and cards. After an illness in late 2023 she moved to The Grand Victorian Assisted Living Community in Sycamore IL in March of 2024. She enjoyed having her own apartment with her own furnishings. This was very comforting and eased the transition to a facility. She quickly made new friends, joked with all those she encountered, and loved everyone!
On December 7th 2025 Joanne fell and broke her hip. While the surgery to repair the hip was a complete success it was just too much trauma to overcome at her age. She passed peacefully while back in her Grand Victorian apartment with her daughter by her side on December 23rd 2025. She was just 4 months shy of reaching 95. She arrived in heaven just in time to enjoy Christmas with her beloved sweetheart Willis, dearly missed family members and many friends. Joanne and Willis were together for their 76th Wedding Anniversary on December 28th!
Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, Les and Elsie Oester, her sisters Dorothy and Evelyn, and her beloved husband Willis Snyder. Joanne is survived by her daughter Sherry (Mike) McInerney of Earlville, her 3 grandsons, David Henkel of Dixon, Sean McInerney of Chicago and Willis (Holly) McInerney of Sycamore, and her 3 great grandchildren Hayley, Henry and Florence.
Joanne was a firm believer in the power of Love. Love of God, Love from God, Love of family, Love to feel and spread to everyone she met. So with that in mind, in lieu of any monetary remembrances, to honor her, share your Love….