ORTMAN, Joanne Ruth (Tesch) 1946-2018

ORTMAN, TESCH, HARGRAVES

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/25/2024 at 10:15:36

Joanne Ortman

June 11, 1946 - August 7, 2018

Joanne Ortman, Munster, Indiana, died August 7, 2018 at the Dyer Care Center. She was 72.

Joanne Ruth Tesch was born in Osage, Iowa on June 11, 1946 to Otto W. and Mildred Thorson Tesch. She grew up on the family farm west of St. Ansgar. She graduated from St. Ansgar high school and graduated with honors from Luther College in 1967 majoring in German. She went to graduate school at Indiana University in Bloomington where she received her Master's degree in German and worked toward another advanced degree. It was there that she met Gerald Ortman. They were married June 8, 1969 and moved to Munster, Indiana. They were later divorced.

Joanne taught a semester at a college, did some translating, and worked as a legal secretary in downtown Chicago. She was very interested in the art of origami and published a book 'Bent out of Shape'. She enjoyed Scrabble and was a member of Mensa and VASA.

She became disabled with a stroke in 1998 and has been in a care center since 2015 when she had another medical emergency.

She is survived by her long time partner, Donald Hargraves of Munster; sisters, June Torrison of LeRoy, MN, Joyce (Richard) Jaspers of Greene, IA; nephews, Jeff and Jerry Torrison, Scott and Brian Jaspers; nieces Lori Debner and Jill Contreras; 22 cousins and many friends.

There will be a Time of Remembrance at 2:00 on Sunday, August 26th at the First Lutheran Church Parish Hall in St. Ansgar. Burial will precede this.

SOURCE: Mason City Globe Gazette, 25 AUG 2018