Joanne Marie Hudacek

Joanne Marie Hudacek (née Homolya), 83, of Amherst, Ohio, passed away on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 after a brief illness. Joanne was born in Lorain on October 17, 1937 to parents Joseph and Anna Homolya (nee: Bartniski).

Joanne was surrounded by a loving family her entire life. She leaves behind three sons, Bill G. (Donna) of Republic, Bob (Margie) of Lorain, and Jim of Avon, and a daughter, Laura of Amherst. She loved talking about her five grandchildren: Will D., Ryan, Rachel, Sarah, and Kristina (fiancé Ronald Breakall II). Joanne loved dogs, and is survived by her beloved dog Oreo, a black and white Shih Tzu who always made her smile. She is also survived by her siblings Kenneth Homolya and Joanne Green (née Homolya). She was preceded in death by her parents, her stepmother Clara Homolya, her brother Leonard Homolya, and her loving husband, George William (Bill), who passed away in 1992.

Joanne was a graduate of Lorain High School and Mount Sinai Nursing School. Later in her career, she  acquired her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She married the love of her life, Bill, on September 7, 1957. Joanne's life was not without hardships. She grew up in a time of war and lost her mother when she was only 17. She lost her husband after only 34 short years of marriage, and watched two of her children live through cancer. Still, Joanne was strong, compassionate and full of life.

Joanne was dedicated to her more than 40-year long nursing career, and at the height of her career, was Head Nurse of the Emergency Room at St. Joseph's Hospital. Her passion for nursing inspired two of her children and one of her grandchildren to pursue careers in medicine. Above all else, Joanne was devoted to her family and was deeply involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She never missed an opportunity to talk about her family, and loved sharing about her grandkids to strangers in the line at the grocery store. Joanne could never walk past a baby without stopping to wave and smile, and she had a deep impact on every person she met. Her family will miss her dearly.

A private family mass will be held, with a Celebration of Life open to the public to follow in the summer. Joanne will be buried at Calvary Cemetery in Lorain, Ohio, next to her husband, who she has missed dearly these past 30 years. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, at www.donate.lls.org

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