Joan Vester-Schoettinger, beloved wife of Robert Schoettinger, devoted mother, stepmother and doting grandmother and step-grandmother, died unexpectedly at home on Sunday October 21 at the age of 78. Her husband of 44 years, John W. Vester M.D., predeceased her in 2003. Joan is survived by her children, John (Susan) Vester III , Linda Vester (Glenn) Greenberg and Walter (Maria) Vester III; her stepsons Russell (Petra) Vester M.D. and John (Sarai) Vester; her siblings, Robert, Frank, Ed and Donald; and her grandchildren, William, Andrew, Meredith, Cameron, Pippa, Dash, Alex and Ben; her step-grandchildren, Hannah, Sarah, Sam and Corinna. She was predeceased by her other siblings, Margaret, Helen, Paul, Jim and Dick. Joan was born May 2, 1934, in Latrobe, PA, the youngest of ten children to Mary and John Cline. She grew up at the end of the Great Depression and during World War II, faithfully writing to her brothers as four of them served in the war. As a child she loved to tap dance, and she grew up to be a skilled hospital nurse. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing at the University. Her first post as a registered nurse was Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, where she met her first love, John Vester M.D. They were married in Pittsburgh on June 10, 1960. They had their first two children, John and Linda there, then moved to Milford, Ohio, where they had their third child, Walter. They raised their family and remained in Milford until Dr. Vester passed away in 2003. In 1974, Dr. Vester was badly injured in a car accident, and Joan spent several months at his hospital bedside, nursing him back to health. Later, after her husband recovered and their children were a little older, Joan worked periodically as a school nurse in the Milford public schools, then got her master's degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati. With her master's degree she went to work as an executive nurse at Procter and Gamble, then as a claims investigator at University Hospital. In 2005, Joan found love again with Robert Schoettinger, who had been a classmate of Dr. Vester at St. Xavier High School. Joan and Bob wed on October 21, 2006 and moved to Montgomery, Ohio. She became a loving stepmother to Bob's six grown children, Lisa (Michael) Habel, Laura Randall, Paul Schoettinger, Julie (Patrick) Chimenti, Tressa (Jeff) Leahy, Ted (Shelley) Schoettinger; and step-grandmother to David, Kara, Ellen, Mary Margaret, Mary Elizabeth, Peter, Grace, Rosie, Gina, Joseph, Leah, Claire, Luke, Jack, Kateri, T.J., Finn, Owen and Emmett. Joan's main passion in life was her family. She loved being a grandma and traveling to visit her grandchildren, as well as spending time with all of her step-grandchildren. Friends are invited to a visitation on Wednesday, October 24 from 5-7 pm at Gilligan Funeral Home, 8225 Montgomery Road in Kenwood. Funeral Mass will be 10 am Thursday, October 25 at Bellarmine Chapel, 3801 Victory Parkway (Francis Xavier Way). A reception will follow immediately afterward at the Cintas Center, 1624 Herald Avenue; all are welcome. Interment will follow the reception at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Service

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Gilligan Funeral Home 3734 Eastern Avenue Cincinnati 45226, United States

Service

Thursday, October 25, 2012 10:00 AM Bellarmine Chapel 3801 Ledgewood Drive Cincinnati 45207, United States

Service

Thursday, October 25, 2012 11:00 AM All Saints Catholic Church 8939 Montgomery Road Cincinnati 45236, United States