Joanne Sholtis McDonald

Joanne Sholtis McDonald
July 7, 1937 - February 26, 2025

Joanne Sholtis McDonald, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin, teacher and friend to so many, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, after a brief illness.
 
Joanne was born on July 7,1937, to Stefan Sholtis (d 1953) and Mary Estock Sholtis (d 1984) in Weirton, West Virginia. She grew up in the shadows of the steel mills with older sister Irene (d 1999) and younger sister Carol (d 2002).  She learned self-sufficiency as a necessity, especially after her father’s sudden death. Joanne graduated from Weir High School in 1955, excelling at sports and maintaining a lifelong habit of physical fitness. 
 
Joanne met the love of her life in the fall of 1955, as a freshman at the University of Steubenville, when she caught the eye of Thomas (Tom) H. McDonald (d 2021). Even as Tom joined the Marines in 1956, they maintained their new love and sealed it on August 22, 1959, when they were married in St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Weirton.
 
Together, Joanne and Tom created a beautiful life rooted in their deep Catholic faith, for which they were endlessly grateful. They were married for 61 years and raised five children - Patrick (b 1960), Kathleen Ritchie (b 1961), Stephen (b 1963-d 2018), Michael (b 1967) and Erin McIntyre (b 1970). They lived most of their early married years in Michigan City, Indiana. They moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1984, and then returned in 1996 to Long Beach, Indiana.  Regardless of where they lived, Joanne and Tom always opened their homes, hosting family and friends, ailing neighbors, and even foreign exchange students. 
 
Joanne’s lifelong vocation was education. She began her career as a primary school teacher in 1957 and taught for 63 consecutive years (mostly fulltime, others substituting), including Queen of All Saints and Notre Dame Catholic Schools in Michigan City, and Notre Dame Catholic School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. While teaching and raising her family, she earned a Master’s degree from Purdue University. Joanne also taught religious education and Pre-Cana classes and volunteered as a reading tutor and Cub Scout den mother. Joanne was recognized for this passion by her alma mater, where she won the Outstanding Career in Education Award in 2015.
 
Joanne possessed an adventurous spirit, and she and Tom visited over 30 countries together. Nonetheless, her favorite travel was to visit family near and far. During their bustling “retirement,” Joanne kept busy hosting her book club, volunteering at her church, substituting at Notre Dame, tutoring and cheering on her grandchildren in their many artistic, athletic, and academic pursuits. A lover of nature, she took daily three-mile walks around her neighborhood.
 
Joanne Sholtis McDonald is survived by four children and their spouses -Robin (Patrick), Scott Ritchie (Kathleen), Helena (Michael), and Sean McIntyre (Erin). She was also the beloved “Mimi,” to 12 grandchildren Kathryn (spouse Matthew Hentz), Meghan, and Michael Ritchie; Sam (spouse Molly), Max, and Will McDonald; Sierra Brown (spouse Christopher), Mackenzy and Maggie McDonald; Teghan, Abby, and Emerson McIntyre. She recently became a great grandmother (“Mimi Great”) to Elizabeth “Ellie” Hentz.
 
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no other consequence.” Galatians 5: 22-23. Joanne possessed all these gifts, for which we are forever blessed.
 
The McDonald family would like to thank all those who lovingly cared for Joanne/Mom/Mimi during her illness, including her medical and therapy team and her beloved caregiver, Viola Mandota. 
 
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Notre Dame Catholic Church, 1005 Moore Road, Michigan City, Indiana with Rev. Keith McClellan officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 7, 2025 at Ott/Haverstock Funeral Chapel, 418 Washington Street, Michigan City, IN and from 9:00 a.m. until time of mass Saturday at the church. A prayer service will be held at 6:00 p.m., Friday, at the funeral chapel.

A private internment at a later date will take place at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Steubenville, Ohio.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Notre Dame Catholic School, 1000 Moore Road, Michigan City, IN 46360 or the Marquette High School Foundation, 306 W. 10th Street, Michigan City, IN 46360. 

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