Our family would like to announce the peaceful passing of our mother and grandmother, Joan Augusta LaRussa (JoAnn) on August 7th, 2024, two days after her 88th birthday. She was surrounded by an overflow crowd of family who enveloped her with love her last days.

JoAnn was born to Filomena Maria Piccoli and Joseph Eugene LaRussa in Paterson, NJ in 1936. After the passing of her mother when she was only 3 years old, she and her older brother Joe were raised by their paternal grandparents Acursia and Giuseppe in Brooklyn, NY and then later by their father and stepmother in Washington Heights. "Joanie" was the captain of the cheer squad at George Washington High, sang in the school choirs and was an editor of "The Hatchet", her HS yearbook. She was beautiful and bright, and graduated at 16.

In 1956, Mom married William Waring Jr. of E. Rutherford, NJ, moved off to San Francisco where Bill was serving in the Army, and got down to the business of raising a family. And here we are.

Joanie's life wasn't an easy one, but she never let the world get the better of her. In 1965, Mom got a blue tweed valise and set out to earn a living selling Avon door to door. She still had orders on her desk when she left us last week. She was quite possibly the world's longest living Avon Lady. When she became a single mother a few years later, she juggled 4 small kids while studying for her real estate license, which started a lifelong career that kept food on the table and shoes on our feet even with the addition of five stepchildren and a new set of twins. A career that she never stopped being passionate about.

Her Real Estate family is large, and were so very dear to her.

Mom loved her country, and was endlessly proud of her three children that honorably served it.

Mom loved music. She loved Frank Sinatra and she loved the Moody Blues. She loved the theatre and shared that joy with her granddaughters with tickets to countless musicals, the lyrics to which they'll never forget. She loved to sing and had a beautiful voice, even if as small children we didn't particularly appreciate it during Sunday Mass when she was just a tiny bit louder than everyone else. She loved Paul Newman. Goodness, she did love Paul Newman. She loved playing games and could take down just about anybody on a Scrabble board (with a few exceptions). She was a wicked bowler back in the day, and she never met a poker table she didn't like. Joanie loved sports. She was a rabid fan of Arizona's professional leagues, and shared that passion with her sons, grandsons, and great grandsons. She spent many a hoarse day with her boys hollering from the bleacher seats for her beloved Diamondbacks. Mom might tell you one of the best days of her life was the day she walked up to the box office window at Bank One Ballpark an hour before the 1st pitch, managed to wrangle a $40 nosebleed ticket, and got to witness Gonzo bat in the winning run to beat the Yankees in the 7th game of the 2001 World Series.

Mom loved the Jersey Shore, the beaches of Hawaii, the coastline of Oregon, the balmy waters of the Gulf of Mexico and most especially… her beloved Arizona desert. She made Casa Grande her home for just shy of 50 years where she left behind a multitude of lifelong close friends, family and colleagues.

Joanie especially loved to dance. We're hoping her heavenly body allows her the freedom and joy to dance now to her heart's content. May her dance card always be full.

JoAnn was preceded in death by both of her parents, her brother Joseph Eugene LaRussa Jr. (Non) and his dear wife Rosalie, her cherished daughter Ruth Ann Verbanic and her beloved daughter-in-law Shanna Hogan, our Matthew's wife.

She is survived by her son Bill Waring (Bill Ouellette) and their children/grandchildren Elijah (Maya), Zoey, Silas and Carol; her daughter Susan Jackson and her children/grandchildren Sara, Samuel (Lisa), Leah, Lana (Caleb), Sage, Emery, Isabella, Kendal and Henry Daniel; her son David Waring; daughter Ruth Ann's children John, Jennifer and Julia, her son Daniel Waring (Maria) and their children/grandchildren Daniel Jr. (Marissa), Nicholas, Daniel the 3rd, Zachary and Ryan Maverick; her son Luke LaRussa (Amanda) and their children Marco, Madelyn and Joseph, her son Matthew LaRussa and his son Zander, and the cherished children of her brother, Joe, Julie and Cathy.

Our family would like to extend our gratitude and love to the amazing nurses and staff at Vitas Hospice of The Woodlands, TX, for the compassionate and outstanding care they took of our mother, and the gentle support they offered to our entire family. They are truly angels.

Mom didn't want any fanfare; there will be no services at her request. But if you knew her, loved her, and are moved to do something to celebrate her life, we would love it if you'd make a donation in her name to Breakthrough T1D, formally known as The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a cause that is personal and meaningful to our family, and we know that Joanie would be very touched by your generosity. There is a link attached for your convenience.

www2.breakthrought1d.org