Joan June Wichern

Joan June Wichern

October 11, 1939 - November 17, 2025

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Obituary

MADISON - Joan June Wichern, age 86, of Madison, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 17, 2025, at home. She was born on October 11, 1939, in Fennimore, Wis., the daughter of Austie and Doraless (Davis) Staskal.


She graduated from Fennimore High School in 1958. She was united in marriage to Dean Wichern on June 1, 1962, in Rockford, Ill.


Joan moved to Madison at age 17 and enjoyed working in many different fields. She started her career as a bookkeeper for various businesses. She then opened a home daycare in 1964 and served families and children with great care for 26 years, until 1990. She then worked for the U.S. Census Bureau, where she was Assistant Manager, and developed a training manual that was used in the tri-state area from 1997-2000. She also worked at Bootstrap with at-risk teenagers as a student advisor. In 2001, she began working at Springs of Hope Church as a secretary, retiring in 2018.


She explored and strengthened her faith through bible studies and was an active member of Lakeview Christian Church from 1975 to 2024. Joan enjoyed gardening, cooking, genealogy research, and reading. Joan was entertained by TV crime shows like “Monk”, “Perry Mason” and “Matlock” and suspenseful reality shows like “Survivor” and “Alone”. She cherished spending time with family, going out for dinner, but especially sharing the holidays together.


Joan is survived by her sons, James (Kris) Wichern and John (Mary) Wichern; daughter, Jodene Ruiz de Chavez; grandsons, James (Amanda) Pfeiffer, Josh Wichern, Jackson Wichern and Luke Wichern; granddaughters, Joy (Steve) Blankenheim, Jenny (Tim) Ketelboeter, Julia (Andrew) Ridder, Emma Ruiz de Chavez and Maggie (James Babb) Wichern; great-grandchildren, Charlotte and Danny Pfeiffer, Charlie and Oakley Blankenheim, Ayla and Ada Ketelboeter and Albert Babb; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives, and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean Wichern; parents, Austie and Doraless Staskal; and sister, Anita Johnson.


A funeral service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday November 26, 2025, with Pastor Jeff King presiding. Burial will take place at Burke Station Cemetery in Town of Burke. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and also from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Wednesday.
 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Agrace HospiceCare (www.agrace.org/donate). Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.


Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420


Events

25
Visitation
Tue Nov 25, 2025 @ 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
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26
Visitation
Wed Nov 26, 2025 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
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26
Funeral Service
Wed Nov 26, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
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A Memorial Tree was planted for Joan June Wichern
Other •
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ Gunderson Funeral Home - Madison
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Larry Davis
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As a little boy I had a crush both on Joan and Anita. They the cutest and nicest girls I had ever met! It was always a treat to stay on the farm with them.
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Eric S.
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Joan was a bonus fan at Jim's ballgames and became a team mom and friend to many of us. Joan was always friendly and never forgot your name. She once saved my bacon by having a functioning Zip Drive, allowing me to salvage some long dormant files. There'll be an empty seat in the stands and an empty space in our heart. RIP Joan.
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Carol
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Joan and I were close friends and next door neighbors for years. We both had family daycares . We both took classes and went to other events at night to get out of the house. One of the many classes we took together was one about how to interview for a job in case we ever decided to have a career after childcare. So there we were, two middle aged women in a class meant for college age students. I remember one class in which the young men sitting behind me asked what was one my sweater. Was it pigs? He asked. I should explain I had a variety of cute winter sweaters with snow scenes, and winter animals. I was sort of taken back and said no they were polar bears. Well Joan heard it all and didn't say anything about it. Although they were sort of making fun of my sweater. So the next week we were all in class again and Joan says to the young man and his friends, I was thinking about you boys and brought you each a pig sticker. She handed them each a pig sticker and said only they are not scratch and sniff! They looked pretty shocked. Joan I will love you forever, you had a wicked sense of humor.
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Nancy Gathing
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The world has changed, forever, since November 17, 2025. Joan Wichern, the ultimate neighbor, mother, grandmother, friend, and priceless human being has departed for her most-deserving reward. She was the very first person I met when moving, almost directly across the street in 1977. She welcomed me to the neighborhood and to her small church within it. She immediately got my seven-year-old into their thriving Summer Bible School. Joan became my excellent, ever-available, babysitter for my two youngest sons. I lost just two years ago, another, amazingly wonderful, close friend, Betty Glover. I am realizing how many unique traits they possessed in common. Like Betty, Joan was best friend to everyone who knew her, most obliging and capable, a new level of selflessness, quirky sense of humor, always there in a crisis. And, most wonderful of all; neither ever realized how wonderful they were! Joan affected many lives. Many memories and associations may be bittersweet for a long time as her family, to which she was so uniquely bonded, finds solace in their all-encompassing Christian faith. Good-bye, Joan. God needs you now to invoke your same magic in Heaven. Nancy G.
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Victoria Sims
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We met Joan and Dean in the 70's when we took the pastoral position at Lakeview A.C. Church on Margaret St. In Madison WI. She was always a warm loving friend. When I lost my husband 16 months ago it was Joan that called me often just to make sure I was doing ok. I will miss our time just chatting over the phone. I know she heard welcome home, when she stepped into eternity. Will always remember her warmth an caring spirit.

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