Joanne (LePontois) Miller

Joanne Miller, 94, of Cincinnati, formerly from Rocky River, died on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at Twin Towers Health Pavilion, Cincinnati.

Joanne was born on February 9, 1926, in Lakewood, Ohio to Helen (Williams) LePontois and Allison LePontois. She was married for 61 years to the late Robert Miller.

Survivors include three daughters, Carol Heideman of Cincinnati, Susan (Nick) Benson of Mebane, North Carolina, and Barbara Miller of South Haven, Michigan; one grandchild, Gene Bernstein of Valley View; and two great-grandchildren, Billy and Alli Bernstein.

She was preceded in death by her brother Allison LePontois and her sister Louise Breese.

Joanne graduated from Rocky River High School in 1944 and attended Baldwin Wallace University. She was one semester away from a degree in elementary education before moving to Chicago, Illinois for her husband’s work.  She was one of the founders and the first president of the Rocky River Women’s Club. Joanne was also a long-time member in The Questers, an international group working to preserve historical buildings, sites and artifacts, locally and around the globe.

Following in the footsteps of her mother, Joanne loved the beauty and history of antiques, as well as finding treasures at flea markets, auctions, and antique stores.   She shared her father’s interest in gardening, especially flowers. She also enjoyed watercolor painting. Family, friends, and the nurses and aides at Twin Towers will miss Joanne’s smiles, kindness, and sweet nature. Joanne faced the challenges of life with these words, which her daughter Carol heard her say many times, “I’ll just have to make the best of it.”

Memorial service is postponed until it safe for gatherings of medically compromised people. A graveside service and burial will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 8, 2020, at Pleasant Ridge Egbert Cemetery in rural Tiffin. The service will be broadcast live on the Facebook page of the Traunero Funeral Home and Crematory, 214 S. Monroe St. Tiffin, Ohio 44883 (419) 447-3113, which is assisting the family with local arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to The City Mission, 5310 Carnegie Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103. This organization was important to Joanne, her mother, and her grandmother.

To offer condolences to the family, go to: www.traunerofuneralhome.com