Joanne K. Villella

Joanne Kathleen Villella, 87, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Born January 21, 1938, Joanne lived a full and vibrant life from beginning to end. She graduated from St. Francis De Sales High School, McKees Rocks, PA in 1955. She was the oldest of four children, survived by her siblings Margo McCaffrey of Butler, PA, and Mark Zahn of Pittsburgh, PA. Her brother David Zahn, Oakdale, PA, preceded her in death.

Joanne lived in many places throughout her life, from Pittsburgh PA to Washington DC, Texas, South Carolina, and finally, Tennessee. Despite these moves, she was a Pittsburgh girl through and through, with a passion for painting, traveling, gardening, music, and dancing. In her older years, when she was less able to move around freely, she became a fan of “true crime” shows, affectionately nicknamed “Nancy Grace” by her immediate family. She even heckled the hospice case manager for coming into her room with a Dallas Cowboys shirt on which gave us all a good laugh. She was a Steelers fan after all!

Joanne experienced many trials and tribulations in her 87 years. She was a caregiver to her son Louie, who, before his death, survived a swimming accident that left him quadriplegic. She cared for Louie for more than eight years, from 1981 until he died in 1989. During this time, her husband, Guy Villella, also preceded her in death in 1984.

Joanne is survived by four living children, including Linda Frankeny Bush of East Liverpool, Ohio, Albert Frankeny of Wilmington, NC, Susan Frankeny of Puerto Rico, and Gina Villella Lober of Lebanon, TN. She is survived by eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The immediate family is holding a funeral mass to celebrate Joanne’s life on Friday, March 28th, at noon at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Hendersonville, TN. Interment will follow at 11am on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.