Joanne Emidy Greenlee

Joanne Emidy Greenlee, 90, died at her residence on January 30 after a lengthy illness. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Thomas W. Greenlee, and her brothers John S. Emidy and Stephen E. Emidy, Jr. She is survived by her sons Patrick (Suzanne), Kevin (Ping Xu), and Joel, and by her sisters-in-law Beatrice Emidy and Mary Emidy. She was born and raised in Pascoag, Rhode Island. At the age of 12, she took on the responsibility of cooking for the family, a skill that her future husband immediately came to appreciate. Joanne earned a BA in Education at Rhode Island College in 1954, specializing in math and science, and she taught high school in Pascoag for a few years. She then earned a Master’s degree in Library Science at Rutgers in 1959. Following the completion of her studies, her father accompanied her on a cross-country road trip to Sacramento, California. She worked there as a librarian at Aerojet during the race to the moon. She met Tom at Aerojet, and they married in 1964. After living in Midland, Michigan and Bremen, Germany, the family moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio in 1973. Joanne served as a reference librarian in the Cuyahoga County Public Library system, starting at the Maple Heights branch in 1974 and retiring from the Mayfield branch in 2003.

Joanne was beloved by friends and family, and was often sought after to host dinners. She was an avid reader, and she was a fan of Cleveland culture and sports teams, including the Cleveland Orchestra and Apollo’s Fire, the Cavaliers, and the Indians. She enjoyed traveling with Tom, often bringing home artwork purchased on their trips. She was a vestry member at the Anglican Catholic Church of St. James for many years. A funeral mass will be held at St. James (1681 E. 55

th

Street) on February 25th at 10am. with lunch to follow (11:30am) at Glidden House (1901 Ford Dr). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the

Alzheimer’s Association

or to a local public library. To honor Joanne’s love of hats, guests are encouraged to wear a favorite hat. Condolences and special memories of Joanne can be shared with her loved ones online at

www.heritagecremationsociety.com

Heritage Cremation & Burial Society

(216) 631-4500