Joann Catherine Dunne

Joann Catherine Dunne, age 85, passed away peacefully with her son by her side, on February 16, 2022, in Caliente, Nevada. Joann was born on September 5, 1936, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the first of three children to Gerald and Elene Berigan. Joann spent her childhood in St. Paul, MN, Birmingham, MI, and Minneapolis, MN. At age 22, she married James Dunne, moved to Bloomington, MN, and gave birth to five children. In 1969, she and James divorced and from that time on, Joann single-handedly raised her five children. She supported them through her winter job as a grade-school teacher at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Richfield, MN, and her summer job as a waitress at the Legion Club in Richfield, MN. Eventually, she took on a fulltime role as Parish Administrator at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Minneapolis, MN. After her children were grown, Joann was ready to leave the cold climate, and in 1992, moved to Las Vegas, NV, where she worked at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. In 2000, Joann had a stroke that left her unable to work or live on her own. In 2003, she moved into Grover C. Dils long-term care facility in Caliente, NV, where she lived for over 18 years until her death.

Joann had many interests and passions. She loved to sew. In high school she designed and sewed her prom dress. While raising her family, she sewed many of their clothes along with quilts and Barbie Doll clothes. Joann loved to play Scrabble. At Grover C. Dils, staff would often find her in the Community Room, late into the night, caught up in a Scrabble tournament with family or friends. Joann loved to read. She traveled the world through her books. She often said that the Lord gave her a stroke so that she could slow down and enjoy reading her books. Remembering dates was another passion of Joann’s. She could instantly recall birth and death dates of her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, along with the birth dates of her five children, their spouses, her seven grandchildren and their spouses, and her numerous great-grandchildren. And she knew the birth dates of her siblings, their spouses, and her nieces and her nephews. Consequently, almost every day of the year was a relevant date to Joann.

Joann’s interests gave her a rich life, but her family gave her life meaning. Her family was her greatest joy and she loved them deeply. Joann was preceded in death by her parents, Elene and Gerald Berigan and her sister-in-law Carol Berigan. Joann is survived by her sons, John (Nancy) Dunne, Joseph Dunne, Anthony Dunne, William Dunne, her daughter Kathryn Kammerdiener, her grandchildren Johnny Dunne, Christina (Steffan) Fehrenbach, Jacob (Taylor) Dunne, Greg (Joyce) Cherhoniak, Michael (Samantha) Cherhoniak, Theresa (Justine) Cherhoniak, Corin Dunne, her brother Charles Berigan, her sister Denise (Robert) Berigan-Pirro, and her many great-grandchildren. Joann will be greatly missed by family and many, many friends.

There will be a Celebration of Life this summer at Kershaw-Ryan State Park near Caliente, NV.

Online condolences can be sent to southernnevadamortuary.com