It is with great sadness that Joan’s family announces her peaceful passing in her 90th year on Friday, March 1, 2019. Joan was a dedicated mother first and foremost; she treasured her children and embraced every moment with them. She especially loved her role as Nana, or as she referred to herself, Nana Banana. Her vivacious personality, and sheer joy in making people laugh, persisted right to the end, and she has left all of us with reasons to smile and share a chuckle. Joan was born to the late Ardemia Grosso and Giovanni Cressati on May 9, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan, but had called Sault Ste. Marie her home since she was an infant. She was predeceased by her two beloved husbands, Nick Stadnyk (1955) and Harry Maycock (1999), her step-father John Maniacco (Nono), her mother-in-law Mary Stepinishin (Baba), as well as her sister, Irma Kustura (late Jim Kustura), and her daughter-in-law, Janis Stadnyk. She is survived by her loving children, John Stadnyk (who was her admitted favourite) and Debbie Perris (the more devoted and attentive one) and their respective partners, Kathy Palombi and Dave Spratt, as well as her grandchildren and their spouses/friends: Nick Stadnyk (David Leslie), Andie Perris (Mike Coe), Christina Perris (Neil Partridge), and Mary Stadnyk (Glenn Driver), and the special little boy who finally made her a great-grandmother, James Coe. She leaves behind her loving and caring siblings Aldo Maniacco (Kathy), Cheila Tomchak (late Chuck Tomchak), Cookie Graham (Roy), and Joe Maniacco (Nancy), as well as a host of nieces and nephews and their children, who always demonstrated special love for Auntie Joan. She also leaves behind her best friend of close to seventy years, Olga DiSabatino. A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 10:00 am at Precious Blood Cathedral. Rev. Hamish Currie officiating. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, followed by a reception at Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel ( 492 Wellington St. - 705-759-2522). Memorial donations (payable by cheque) may be made to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation or ARCH. The family would like to thank the loving staff of the Great Northern Retirement Home for their care of Joan since 2016, along with the wonderful doctors and nurses who treated Joan with such care and compassion during her brief stay at SAH. A special thank you to Carly Ribic who was there to hold our mother during her final minutes on earth
“It’s my way or no way …”