Joan “Joanie” (Meierotto) Bissell, 86, of Ottumwa, Iowa, passed away at 1:30 a.m. Friday, November 26, 2021, at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House in West Burlington, Iowa.
She was born on July 21, 1935, in West Point, Iowa, the daughter of Aloysious C. and Dorothy (Holtkamp) Meierotto. On January of 5, 1957, she married Marion E. “Pat” Bissell at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ottumwa, Iowa. He preceded her in death on January 14, 2002.
Survivors include her four children: Cheryl (Jon) Simplot of Ottumwa, Iowa, Michael (Dawn) Bissell of Knoxville, Tennessee, David (Linda) Bissell of Agency, Iowa and Trish (John McNulty) Bissell of Crestwood, Kentucky; grandchildren: Clint (Claire) Simplot, Nate (Maria) Bissell, Marissa (Michael) Wetrich, Calum McNulty, Alec Bissell and Lily Bissell; great grandchildren: Alexis, Nick and Finn and sister-in-law: Mary Pester and close family friend: Sr. Caridad. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; still-born son: Joseph; two brothers: Robert and Delmar Meierotto; sister-in-law: Sr. Kevin Bissell and two brothers-in-law: Timothy Bissell and Theodore Bissell.
Joanie was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Ottumwa. She had worked as a registered nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Ottumwa. She enjoyed gardening, mowing her yard, playing cards, reminiscing with her St. Joe nurse friends and she loved a good bargain.
Her body has been entrusted to the crematory of Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.
A memorial Mass will be held at a later date at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Ottumwa with burial at Greenglade Cemetery in Farmington.
A memorial has been established in her memory for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Southeast Iowa Regional Home Health and Hospice or local Alzheimer’s Association.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhome.com. Schmitz Funeral Home of West Point is assisting the family with arrangements.
