Joan Kardatzke
Joan Larmour Kardatzke, age 91, was born on September 16, 1934 in Belfast, Ireland, the third child of Reverend John Larmour and Mary Kathleen (Maisie) Larmour (née Gracey).
Joan passed away peacefully on October 21, 2025 in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Her life of deep Christian faith was rooted in her upbringing in the Church of God reformation movement and expressed in her desire to help educate and show love to all children.
Joan’s family moved from Ireland to Birkenhead, England when she was a toddler. Her next big move came in 1954 when she had the opportunity to go to the United States for college. Joan met Merl in 1954 while they were both attending Anderson College in Anderson, Indiana. They were married in Birkenhead, England by her father, the Reverend John Larmour at the Church of God on Egan Road in 1957 and returned to America to start their new lives together. In 1959 they moved to the south side of Chicago where they raised their four children. In 1978 Joan became a naturalized citizen of her adopted home, proudly taking her citizenship tests and pledging to uphold the values of this country. She was always involved with the Church of God which informed her active political life. She opposed segregation and racism, worked with Operation Breadbasket and otherwise helped those in need. Joan was an educator and director of the Learning Disabilities and Reading Clinics at St. Xavier University on the south side of Chicago. These clinics provided a valuable resource for many families in the community and for the student teachers at the University to learn how to improve educational experiences for all.
Her great passions included participation in gatherings with the church communities, traveling with Merl, her kids and grandkids, and experiencing in the many ways that the glory of God is expressed in scripture and revealed in every act of loving kindness and compassion to others. Her children’s lives were enriched by trips to visit her parents in Birkenhead, England and the English cousins. In retirement Joan and Merl relocated to Ohio, to the land by the pond where Merl grew up. They enjoyed building a home and many years of hosting gatherings on the family property, fellowshipping with the local church families, and taking frequent trips with their grown children and grandchildren. Many who knew her will have a knit or sewn item that Joan made for them to remember her by (plenty of tea cozies knit by her hands).
Joan is preceded in death by her husband of 67 years Merl, her parents, and her brother John Larmour and his wife Nancy, and her brother James (Jimmy) Larmour.
Joan is survived by her four loving children and their families: Frederick Kardatzke and wife Joan Jaeger and their son Jonathan. David Kardatzke and wife Sarah Dorrance and their sons Emery (Lindsey), Cyrus (Kenia) and four grandchildren. Paul Kardatzke and wife Julie and their twin sons James and Christopher. Sally Walton (née Kardatzke) and her husband Lloyd Walton. She will also be missed by the many nieces and nephews in America, Britain and Wales who enjoyed her hospitality and joy at sharing a pot of tea and something “with it”.
The family would like to thank The Meadows Assisted Living & Memory Care staff and Agrace Hospice for their kind and loving care of Joan.
A memorial service is scheduled for November 15, 2025 at the Spring Green Community Church; 151 E Bossard St, Spring Green, WI 53588 (Visitation at 9:30 AM, Service at 10:30 AM, Luncheon following the service).
The family asks that in lieu of flowers any donations in memory of Joan Kardatzke be directed to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (http://www.info-komen.org/goto/Joan_Kardatzke) or The Anderson Center for Autism ( https://shop.andersoncenterforautism.org/donate/ ).
Online condolences available at www.staffordfuneralhomes.com The Richardson-Stafford Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.