Joanne M. “Jo” Jaeger, age 68, of Key West, Iowa, passed away at 10:00 p.m., on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at home surrounded by her loving family and friends.  In keeping with Joanne’s wishes there will not be any public services.  Following cremation, burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, is assisting the family.

Joanne was born on July 4, 1954, in Dubuque, Iowa , daughter of James E. “Red” and Betty (Niewold) McNamer.

Joanne attended school at Dubuque Senior High School and graduated from Hempstead High School.  After graduation she attended NICC where she earned her degree in bookkeeping, all while holding down a job and raising her family as a single mom of 3.  She was employed at Walmart starting out as a cashier and moving her way up to customer service and management.  There wasn’t a job there she couldn’t do and she worked there for 25 years until her retirement in 2016.  When she found some free time on her hands, Joanne enjoyed playing Bingo, attending comedy shows and going to the theater.  She also enjoyed going for a drive “be-bopping” to her music and heading up to Eagle Point Park.  After retiring, she finally achieved her dream of traveling.  She took her 1st plane trip, went to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Florida, where she dipped her toes in the ocean for the first time.  She was a great mom who was fiercely loyal to her family and her friends who became her adopted family members.  She especially liked being around the kids and her four legged canine friends.  Joanne had an outgoing personality and a great sense of humor.  She made everyone around her happy and came up with great one liners when you least expected them.  Joanne will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Those left to cherish Joanne’s memory include

her children,
Martin (fiancé Taylor Heacock) Jaeger, Dubuque, IA
and April Jaeger, Dubuque, IA;

her grandchildren,
Steven (Nicole) Adams, Lee Ray (Roseann) Adams and Amanda (Ryan) Decker;

her great-grandchildren,
Eden, Connor, Arieana and Eleanor;

her mother,
Betty McNamer, Dubuque, IA;

a brother,
Thomas McNamer, Dubuque, IA;

and her long time friends,
Sherry (Brian) Tripp, Key West, IA.

Joanne was preceded in death by her father, James E. “Red” McNamer; a son, Robert M. McNamer; 2 brothers, David McNamer and James R. McNamer; and her fiancé, Alan England.

Joanne’s family would like to thank her friends, Sherry and Brian, and the nurses and staff of Hospice of Dubuque, especially Jeremiah and Amber, for all of the care and support they provided for Joanne.

The family will thankfully receive your support through greeting cards and memorials in Joanne’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Joanne Jaeger Family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com