JoAnn Del Colliano

JoAnn Elizabeth Del Colliano, 90, died in her home at the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community on August 20, 2021.

JoAnn was born in Brattleboro, Vermont on March 12, 1931 to Alphonse and Elizabeth Ratté, the fourth of six children. JoAnn married John F. Del Colliano on September 3, 1955. He was a career Army officer, and they lived in and traveled to many wonderful places during their time in the military including two tours in Germany and one in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

They had two daughters, Theresa and Deborah. JoAnn loved being a wife, mother, and homemaker. She was faithful in serving her church, delighted in knitting beautiful blankets for babies, and thoroughly enjoyed playing bridge and reading/listening to books. After retirement, John and JoAnn resided in San Diego, CA for 17 years and then in Tucson, AZ for 18 years.

John passed away in 2003 and several years later, JoAnn came to Asheville, NC to be closer to her daughters. Her years at Deerfield were filled with rich experiences, lovely friends, and Pastry Chef Zoe’s delectable desserts.

Besides her loving parents and devoted husband, JoAnn was predeceased by her brothers, Eddie, Charles, Foss, and Richard, and sister, Dorothy.

She is survived by her daughters, Terri (Gary) Frink of Asheville, NC, and Debbie (John) Stadnik of Greensboro, NC; her grandchildren Stepheni (Vince), Brock (Megan), and Clayton Stadnik and Amy (Luke) Stout; a new great-grandson, Jett; and many nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Arden, NC. There will be a rosary offered prior to the Mass at 12:30 p.m.

She will be interred with her husband in the Southern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery near Fort Huachuca, AZ.

If you would like to make a donation in her honor, please consider St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Arden, Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, or Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).