Joan L. Petrulis

Joan L. Petrulis, nee Indovina, age 87, of Reedsburg went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at Sister’s of Saint Mary Health St. Clare Hospital, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born March 4, 1937 to Anthony and Antoinette Indovina (Chiaramonte), and grew up in Chicago, IL. She graduated from Visitation High School in 1955 and continued her education in Art & Mathematics at Mundelein College where she graduated in 1959. She then went back to school and received her MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1978.

On August 13, 1960 she married Albert Petrulis who preceded her in death in 2014. They met at a dance while he was attending Loyola University; she was attending Mundelein College. Dancing was one of Joan’s many passions as was Al’s. Her love of the “jitterbug” and his passion for dancing as well was one of the things that brought them together.

In 1974, Joan and Al bought an old Christmas Tree farm in the Lake Delton area and Joan spent many summers in Wisconsin with their four children. They fell in love with Mirror Lake and in 1981 decided to make Wisconsin their permanent home. With Joan’s business acumen and Al’s talents as an Oral Surgeon, they built the Oral Surgery Center in Baraboo, WI where he practiced until 1998.

One of mom’s greatest passions after her family was her love of art. She created a legacy in this world of truly great paintings that tell the story of her life, love of family, the farm that she and Al loved so much and the many things around her that inspired her. We plan to display her artwork this summer at a celebration of her life.

She is survived by her loving four children: Greg (Genny) Petrulis, Elise (Peter) Etzweiler, David Petrulis and Geoffrey (Sherry) Petrulis; nine grandchildren: Alex Petrulis, Nick (Alaria) Petrulis, Andrew (Kristen) Etzweiler, Zoe Etzweiler, Agatha Petrulis, Daniel Strong, Dustin (Racquel) Strong, Darcy (Michael) Rodriguez and Derek (Vanessa) Strong; 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Mom was a devoted Catholic and was guided in her faith by many of the area’s Catholic parishes.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 300 2nd Street, Baraboo, with Fr. Luke Powers presiding. Visitation will be held on Friday at church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Inurnment will be held following the service at Rock Hill Cemetery in Baraboo, where she will be laid to rest beside her loving husband, Albert, of 54 years. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Priests for Life, PO Box 236695, Cocoa, FL, 32923.

It was mom’s wish that in accordance with how she lived her life, that a grand celebration of that life be shared by all family and friends in August of 2024, date to be determined, when everyone can plan to attend well in advance. 

The Redlin-Ertz Funeral Home is assisting the family.