Joann Therese Flickinger

Joann Therese (nee, Saputo) Flickinger, age 68, died Saturday, 13 February 2021, at Community Hospice, Baptist Medical Center South, Jacksonville, Florida, following a fifteen year battle with stage four breast cancer.

Joann was a graduate with honors of the nursing program at Normandale Community College, Bloomington, Minnesota in 1994. As a certified cardiac registered nurse she was employed at the Mayo Clinic and Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida, from 1999 to 2014. From 2016 to 2021, following a year of retirement from floor nursing, she returned to the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida and worked in the heart monitor department. Previous to residing in Jacksonville she had pursued her nursing career in Evanston, Illinois, Marshalltown, Iowa, and Keokuk, Iowa. Prior to becoming a registered nurse she had a career as a respiratory therapist and worked at hospitals in Coldwater, Michigan, Evanston, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Overland Park, Kansas, and Shakopee, Minnesota.

Her primary interests were her children and her granddaughter. She was an avid reader of mysteries, especially Agatha Christie’s, reading all the author’s oeuvre while residing a year in Bristol, England, the United Kingdom 1977 – 1978. In addition she loved television mysteries, police and medical dramas. Another enjoyment was walking the family dogs evenings at Jacksonville Beach. And she loved traveling. Her last vacation was in fulfillment of a lifelong desire to visit Washington, D.C. when the cherry blossoms were in bloom. Upon coming to live in Florida in 1999, she frequently treated her children and granddaughter with visits to Disney and Universal in Orlando, where she loved riding the rides, and eating funnel cake. A devout Christian during her adult life she was active at various times in the Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and proudly considered herself a “cafeteria Catholic.” The last years of her illness she found it difficult to attend church services, using what energy she had for work and then would rest at home on days off. She was deeply dedicated to her nursing career, to the development of nurses who had just graduated and came to work on her cardiac care unit at the Mayo Clinic and was equally devoted to the patients she served providing them care with love, compassion, and understanding. Joann was progressive in her religious, political, and social views.

She was preceded in death by her parents, father Giuseppe (“Joe”) Saputo, mother Giovanna (“Jennie,” nee Palazzola) Saputo and a brother Joseph Saputo. She was the youngest of six children born to a devout Sicilian Roman Catholic family. Joann is survived by her husband of forty-six years Bruce A. Flickinger (Jacksonville, Florida), son Trevor I. Flickinger (Jacksonville, Florida), daughter Jemma R. (nee Flickinger) Fletcher (Jacksonville, Florida), son-in-law Emmanuel (“Manny”) Fletcher (Jacksonville, Florida), and granddaughter Tiana R. Fletcher (Jacksonville, Florida). In addition she is survived by four siblings, brother John (Jacksonville, Florida), brother Salvatore (Phoenix, Arizona), sister Virginia (Lee High Acres, Florida), and Constance (Wayne, Michigan). She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and children who provided for her care at home the last months of her life when not in residential respite care, Pearl Saputo (sister-in-law, wife of brother John), was of great help and comfort to Joann and assisted Joann’s husband and children with her care. The family is also appreciative of the care provided by Community Hospice and Palliative Care, Jacksonville, Florida, both at her home and when she was in residential care. The family gives special thanks to Dr. Winston Tan, oncologist, the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, he seeing Joann through all the years of her battle with breast cancer. Thus in lieu of flowers and other gifts on the part of those desirous of acknowledging Joann, the family asks that contributions be made in her name to the Mayo Clinic, Development Department, c/o 4500 San Pablo, Jacksonville, Florida 32224 and be designated for breast cancer research.

A Memorial Service will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27th in the Chapel of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin, 11801 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida, 32223. At Ms. Flickinger’s request, the service will be officiated over by her retired clergy husband and active college professor, Flagler College, Saint Augustine, Florida, Bruce A. Flickinger.