Joan C. Dorsch

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Joan Catherine Dorsch (nee Nett) 91, on December 15, 2022. Joan was born to Nicklaus and Ottilia (Freund) Nett on June 22, 1931 in Spring Grove, Illinois.  She grew up in McHenry on her parents’ farm on Riverside Drive.  She graduated from McHenry High School in 1949 and then worked at Illinois Bell Telephone Company.  She met and fell in love with Carl Dorsch when he spent summers at his parent’s home in McHenry. She shared that she and Carl would meet in the hayfield behind her home, laying on the ground and staring up at the stars. Carl and Joan married on May 9, 1953 and moved to Denver for their first of many travel adventures. When Carl served in the U.S. Army from 1955-1957, Joan stayed in McHenry with their first child, Phillip and when Carl returned, Joan and Carl welcomed a daughter, Lisa.

Joan volunteered and served on the Boards of many organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the Women’s Clubs of America, the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and the Colonel Palmer House Restoration Association.  She was known as the person with the keen intellect who would fearlessly roll up her sleeves and dive into any project with great intensity and devotion. She was also a lifelong member of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and always had her prayer book and Tillie’s rosary handy for daily prayers. Joan was also a gardener and at their home on Cherry Valley Road, she would tend her perennial garden, vegetable garden, rose garden and Japanese garden with great intensity and love. Family, friends and neighbors all reaped the benefits of the large vegetable garden harvest each year.  Gardening was a Nett family passion and she passed her love for gardening on to her daughter, Lisa.

In later years, after the loss of her beloved Carl, she enjoyed reading and kept up with current events by perusing a wide variety of literature, including the local newspapers, Engineering News, National Review and Better Homes and Gardens, to name a few.  Anyone that met Joan was astonished at the width and breadth of her knowledge.  She was an amazing conversationalist and she greatly enjoyed hosting visitors at her home, often sitting on the screen porch and sharing the view of her lovely yard and gardens.  Her positive attitude, wit and charm will be sorely missed by all of those who loved her, but memories of wonderful conversations will remain in our hearts forever.

Joan is survived by her son Phillip (Kimberly) Dorsch of Parrish, FL and daughter Lisa (David) Waggoner of Crystal Lake; five grandchildren, Kathryn Dorsch, Sara McMinn, Alex Dorsch, Luke Waggoner and Grant Dorsch; two stepgrandchildren, Tegan Jaramski and Kiley Jaramski and three great grandchildren, Miles and Max McMinn and Bennett Luke Waggoner. She is also survived by three nieces, Nicole Beattie, Karen Puetz and Sandy Sheppard. She was preceded in death by her husband Carl Dorsch, her parents and her siblings, Lorraine Puetz, Arlene Scott, George Nett, Annabelle Nett and James Nett.

Joan’s family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to the Melody Living staff, who lovingly cared for Joan for the past two years, as well was to the Promedica staff for their extraordinary hospice comfort care during Joan’s final days.

Visitation will be held Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory from 10:30 am until prayers at 11:30 a.m. followed by procession to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 451 W Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, for the funeral Mass at noon.  Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.