My dear sister JoAnne, was a loving mother, wife, and sibling. I recall a great many wonderful times we shared as siblings growing up and later in life too. There are far too many to recount here but allow me to share a few.
As kids we were close enough in age to play together and share mutual friends and interests. We would play sports together, compete in card and board games as teammates and opponents, and we attended concerts and sporting events together. During the summer of 1980 we held our own “Olympics” for the neighborhood kids and JoAnne competed in many events and won several medals. Another time, September 1982, I took her to a concert at Rich Stadium in Buffalo NY, featuring The Clash and The Who – we were big Who fans. We had to lobby hard with our father to let his youngest daughter, 15 at the time, accompany her then 18 year old brother to an all-day Rock concert.
As adults we had occasion to vacation together. In the past few years she met some of my close friends and they immediately took a liking to her – joking with me that she was too kind and beautiful a person to be my sister.
Recently I visited her in the hospital and came to meet many of her more recent friends. It was no surprise to me that JoAnne’s friends came calling to see her in droves, and from all phases of her life. Childhood friends from age 2 along with college friends and recent local friends came to see her. It is a family trait that we acquire and keep friends – something our father is well known for.
If life is a game played by all and love is the prize, JoAnne’s life was replete with prizes given to her and by her. And in the end I am certain she knew this. She lead a full and wonderful life, albeit too short.
Being her older, and only, brother, I knew JoAnne her entire life. I am eternally grateful and thankful to have had her as my sister. I will miss her.
With All of My Love,
Frank Marafino Jr.