- Visitation
None
- Service
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
11:30am
Holy Family Church, Joliet, IL
- Full Obituary
Joan Colleen Kulig (nee McLinden), age 82, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 1, 2017.
Joan was born during the Great Depression, the youngest of two daughters to Harry and Helene McLinden. She grew up with a great love, respect and fondness for farm living before moving to Joliet. She was a 1952 graduate of St. Francis Academy in Joliet, Illinois and worked at the Rialto Theater as a teenager and the Illinois Bell Telephone Company as a young adult before meeting & marrying her husband, Michael T. Kulig on August 25, 1956.
Joan was a great mother, wife and grandmother and loved her family above all else. She also truly lived life to the fullest through simple pleasures, which included traveling to historical European locations like Normandy France, reading books, watching classic movies, chatting and spending time with friends and family. She enjoyed watching the Chicago Bears and Duke Blue Devil Basketball. Her love for sports kept her 100% engaged in all aspects of her children’s sporting endeavors. She logged miles and miles to attend every game; whether it be state football championships, volleyball games or out of state college basketball games. You could always count on Joan to sit in the stands and cheer on her brood. She was not only a loyal fan but a supportive coach’s wife. She made endless pans of lasagna for numerous awards banquets and never hesitated welcoming hungry teenagers into her home for a meal. The best qualities of Joan live on through her children: honesty, kindness, empathy, caring, and compassion. She was a devout Catholic and practiced what she preached.
She is survived her children, Michael and his wife Kathy from Highland, Illinois; Mark from Highland, Illinois; Matt and wife Kathy and grandchildren David, Kelly, Melanie and Sean from Millstadt, Illinois; Tracy Alvarez and her husband Ignacio and grandchildren Alex, Bella and Kylie from Lorton, Virginia; Stacy Clift and her husband Doug and grandson Miller from Alexandria, Virginia; her older sister Mickey Haines and Brother-in-law Bill Haines from Joliet, Illinois and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family.
Family, friends, and others whose lives Joan touched are invited to attend a March 14th tribute that includes: Funeral Services at Holy Family Church Joliet, IL 11:30am; 1:30pm internment at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL; followed by a “Celebration of Joan” luncheon (2:30pm) at Syl’s Restaurant, 829 Moen Avenue, Rockdale IL to reminisce, celebrate, and, of course, chat; just like Joan loved to do.
