Joanne Gammache, 87

December 12, 2020

Joanne Fry Gammache, 87, of Lancaster, PA, passed suddenly and peacefully on Monday, December 14, 2020 at Landis Homes, Lititz, PA.

Born in Lancaster on Nov 21, 1933 to the late Charles Fry and Eleanor (Steinwandel) Fry, she lost her mother to cancer when she was just 7 years old. As the youngest of five girls, her sisters became her closest friends and remained so throughout her life. She developed a deep and life-long faith in God at Sacred Heart Catholic School. She graduated from JP McCaskey in 1951 and went on to work in the accounting department at RCA.

Joanne married the love of her life, Don, in 1961, and together, with generous hearts, they fostered two boys before starting their own family. Deeply devoted to her family, she honed her skills as wife, mother, and creative hostess, making daily life, as well as many holidays and large family gatherings, exceptionally special and memorable. An excellent cook and superb candy maker, Joanne had an unrivaled sweet tooth that she never denied, and she took great joy in sharing her culinary delights with family and friends. She was blessed with a green thumb, loved all things pink and was a self-proclaimed “clothes horse”.

Though she shared her great talent and hard work in different places, her greatest work was serving her church and Meals on Wheels. She loved children, never met stranger, and found joy in connecting with others. She was a faithful and devoted member of St John Neumann Catholic Church and a former member of St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Susan, wife of Legrand Richardson Jr., of Mt. Pleasant, SC, her son, David Gammache, and his wife, Jeanne, of Lancaster, and her sister, Estella Hagmann, of Brownstown along with many loving and caring nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald (married 50 years) who died in 2011, and sisters Arlene Winters, Patricia Carvell, and Nancy Carello.

The family extends their unending gratitude to the nurses, caretakers, and physicians at Landis Homes for the many years of devoted care they provided to her.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John Neumann CC, 601 E Delp Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601 on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 11 am with Rev. Daniel Powell as Celebrant. A viewing will be held at the church from 10-11 am. Internment will take place at St Mary Catholic Cemetery, Lancaster PA. Please be aware that PA State guidelines will be followed for COVID safety. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Joanne’s memory may be sent to St John Neumann School (same address as church) or Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Ave, Lancaster, PA 17603.

The service will also be livestreamed and can be accessed on St. John Neumann website SJNLancaster.org

To send an online condolence to the family please visit: SnyderFuneralHome.com