Joanne M Lacoss

Joanne M. Lacoss passed away after losing a battle with cancer, on August 9, 2024.  Her siblings were Emil Jr., Vance, and Brad. After high school, Joanne attended and graduated from Beauty School and practiced as a hair stylist for several years.  She dated Bob Lacross during high school, and they married after he returned from tour in Vietnam.

During this time, Joanne was very involved in arts and crafts, becoming an excellent quilter, knitter, and sewing expert and involved with guilds for each craft.  She was a co-teacher for a college class in pattern making for clothing and took part in subsequently writing a book which detailed a new teaching method that used different colors for varying steps in making patterns.  While she was involved with making quilts, she, as most quilters, used formal patterns developed during a long history of making quilts.  A movement, using artistic design rather than formal patterns, was formed among the quilting guilds.  Joanne, wanting to take part in that movement, found that she lacked drawing and design skills to create the designs, so she began taking drawing and painting classes at Saddleback College and attending various learning opportunities for ten years.  After retiring to Prescott Valley, Arizona, she and her husband joined various guilds including Mountain Artist Guild, where she painted and exhibited her art.  They also joined as members of the Phippin Museum of Western Art.  She developed skills in acrylic painting and made many friends within the art communities, while exhibiting and selling her art.  

Joanne is survived by her husband Robert, her son, Steven, niece Sarah, four grandchildren, and many close friends.