Joni Lee Hermanson, age 53 of Dodgeville, formerly of Blanchardville died on Friday morning, December 18, 2020 at her home surrounded by her family after a hard-fought battle with cancer. She was born in Monroe on October 5, 1967 to Floyd DuWayne and Doris Berniece (Johnson) Hermanson. She went to the Pecatonica Grade School and High School in Blanchardville and Hollandale, graduating with Honors in 1986. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1990 with a Degree in Elementary Education. Joni lived in Blanchardville, Platteville, Barneveld and Dodgeville. In 2000 Joni purchased a home in Dodgeville where she still resided.
Joni was a hard worker. At a young age, Joni started a paper route in Blanchardville, worked as a waitress in Blanchardville at Freddy’s, ran The Popcorn Stand in Blanchardville with her dad, was a babysitter to many local children including Sean Doran, was a bartender at the Black Oak Inn, worked in the Financial Aid office at UW-Platteville, taught at the Pecatonica Christian Preschool, and worked at Pecatonica Schools as part time Early Childhood/part time Third Grade paraprofessional. She started her career then at Lands’ End in July of 1991 working in customer sales, Business Outfitters Sales Rep & Lead, and L&D Supervisor. Joni was working at Land’s End at the time of her illness, and through her battle with cancer.
Joni met the love of her life Jeff Pefley in the fall of 2012 through Christian Mingle. They were engaged in 2018 and planned on being married on September 12, 2020.
Joni was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Dodgeville. She served on the Education Committee, served as a Communion Assistant and sang in the choir. Joni enjoyed spending time with Jeff, family and friends including the “Tomahawk Girls”. She also loved travelling, movies, walking, hiking at Governor Dodge Park, Dubuque Fighting Saints Hockey, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers and the Wisconsin Badgers.
Joni is survived by fiancée Jeff Pefley (Dubuque, Iowa), mother Doris Hermanson (Pleasant View Nursing Home-Monroe), sister Linda (Ron) Hanson (Argyle), sister Kathy Gilbertson (Blanchardville), sister Karen (Scott) Ingwell (Cartersville, Georgia) and brother Alan (Cindy) Hermanson (Monroe). Nieces and Nephews: Irene (Terry) Gilbertson Cooper, Sara (Todd) Gilbertson Ihm, Jennifer (Mike Zuhlke) Hanson, Jason (Karen Brunton) Hanson, Brenda Gilbertson, Amanda (Boyd) Ingwell Fowler, Heidi (Justin Sanford) Ingwell, Morgan Gilbertson, Cody Hermanson, and Ashley (Damian Dressler) Hermanson. Great Nieces and Nephews: Shawn (Andrea McGowan) Hanson, Alex Cooper, Ian Cooper, Mikayla Hanson, Shanika Perdue, Keiley Perdue, Tessa Hanson, Samantha Ihm, Bo Hanson, Zachary Ihm and Braxton Hermanson. Godchildren: Ayden York, Collin Moen and Amanda (Ingwell) Fowler. And she is survived by many many friends. She was Preceded in death by her father Floyd Hermanson, nephew Wesley Gilbertson, brother-in-law Keith Gilbertson, brother-in-law Ted Gilbertson, and sister Jeanie Gilbertson.
A walk-through visitation with brief visiting with the family due to the COVID pandemic, with the wearing of masks and social distancing required will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM at Blanchard Hall on Main Street in Blanchardville. A private funeral will be held at 2:00 PM
The service will be livestreamed (broadcast on the internet) at:
https://www.facebook.com/saetherfuneralservice
Rev. Mark Williamson of Grace Lutheran Church in Dodgeville will officiate. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery in Blanchardville. Saether Funeral Service of Blanchardville is assisting the family. Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralservice.com and on the Saether Funeral Service Facebook page.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Iowa County Cancer Coalition, Grace Lutheran Church in Dodgeville and Upland Hills Hospice Care.
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