Joanne Helen Weisskopf

JOANNE HELEN (COLITZ) WEISSKOPF Joanne Weisskopf, 83, passed away peacefully on November 27, 2022. Joanne was born to the late Joseph and Anne Colitz in Wilmington, Delaware. At the age of 2, her parents returned to their roots and moved back to Pennsylvania. She grew up in the small town of Seltzer, in northeastern PA. Both her parents had many siblings in the area so she enjoyed an extended family of many aunts, uncles and cousins. After graduating from Nativity BVM High School in Pottsville, PA she attended Marywood College in Scranton, PA and graduated with a degree in nutrition. The following year took her to NY where she completed her dietetic internship at the Bronx VA. This was the beginning of a 40 year career as a dietitian. Joanne began as a clinical dietitian at East Orange Veterans Hospital in NJ but found her strengths were in administrative dietetics. She relocated to the DC metropolitan area to be employed in the Food Service Branch of the Marriott Corporation. She served as Chief Administrative Dietitian at Sibley Memorial Hospital and later was transferred to Easton Memorial Hospital in MD. Her final and longest position in that role was at Alexandria Hospital, VA. At Joanne’s retirement party in 2001, her District Manager from Marriott said: “Everything Joanne did, she did with dignity and grace.” This was true throughout her life. Joanne resided in Springfield, VA for the last 48 years of her life. Above all, Joanne loved her family. Her daughter and her grandchildren filled her with pride and gave her so much happiness. She was quick to extol their accomplishments and to share recent photos. After the sudden death of her son-in-law, she became an ever present constant in each of their lives. Joanne attended their concerts, plays, award ceremonies, graduations, parties and Lacrosse games for all four grandchildren. Her beautiful life will be forever cherished in the lives of her daughter and grandchildren. Joanne’s talents were many. In college she was a member of the synchronized swimming team. She loved to ski and tennis was her passion. Joanne loved gardening and was a member of the Saratoga Garden Club. She found great joy and peace working in her yard and garden. She was an avid reader, and was known to stay up many a night because she couldn’t put down that book! Joanne had a circle of girlfriends who shared her love of movies whether in the theater or film festivals. She had an appreciation of great food and was an excellent baker and cook. As a Beach-goer from childhood, her favorite times in the summer were the family vacations at Rehoboth, DE and Surfside Beach in SC making wonderful memories year after year. She was preceded in death by her parents, all her aunts an uncles, her son-in-law John Signorello, and her brother-in-law Robert J.Tanenberg. Joanne is survived by her daughter Carolyn Signorello, four grandchildren Isabella, Marco, Luca and Olivia Signorello, brother Joseph Colitz, Sallie Weaver, sister Karen Stone-Tanenberg, nephew Kenneth Stone, and many loving cousins. Family and friends whose lives Joanne touched are invited to her Memorial Mass at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Springfield, VA at 2 pm, on January 4, 2023. Arrangements by Demaine Funeral Home, Springfield.