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JoAnn Carlson – age 82, formerly of Pocahontas, passed away on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at Mt. St. Francis Nursing Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

JoAnn Ziska was born on February 9, 1938 in Stuart, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Gaughenbaugh) Ziska. She was raised on an farm near O'Neill, Nebraska and graduated from O'Neill St. Mary's High School in 1955 and went on to St. Mary's College in Omaha, NE where she graduated in 1957 with a degree in elementary education. She taught country school for a year then for two years in Omaha. On June 21, 1958, JoAnn married Jerry Carlson at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill, Nebraska. The couple lived in Nebraska and Iowa until 1963, when they settled in Pocahontas, Iowa. In 1977, JoAnn began working as a waitress, first at the Princess Restaurant then at the Chateau. She retired in the mid 1980s. In 2012, JoAnn moved to Colorado Springs, CO to be near Barb and her grandchildren.

JoAnn was a past member of the Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Church and the Catholic Ladies Society. She enjoyed watching TV and attending the Clay County Fair, especially concerts at the fair. JoAnn was a huge supporter of Pocahontas school activities, including football, basketball, swing show and Trendsetters both during and after her children were in school. She also enjoyed traveling to restaurants to eat great food.

Survivors include her children, Mike Carlson of Omaha, NE, Kathy (Charlie) Stracuzzi of Port St. Lucie, FL, and Barb (O'Dell) Isaac of Colorado Springs, CO; and grandchildren, Matthew and Lauren and a brother, Paul Ziska of Omaha, NE. She was preceded in death by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked memorials be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.