Joann Houser, age 94, of Grand Island, passed away March 7, 2023 at St. Francis Medical Center.

Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 10:30am at Resurrection Catholic Church with Father Vijumon Chooracka and Father Don Buhrman officiating. The service will be livestreamed on the church website https://giresurrection.com/ .  Visitation will be held on Friday, March 17, 2023 from 4 to 7pm at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home with a Rosary at 6pm.  Interment will be held in the Grand Island City Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.  Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.  Condolences can be left at www.livson.com .

Joann was born on December 27, 1928 in Anamosa, IA to William J. and Lucille M. (Grimm) Cartano.

Joann attended school in Cedar Rapids, IA and graduated from Wilson High School in 1947.  She married Forrest H. Houser on November 12, 1959 in Cedar Rapids.  They lived in Cedar Rapids until 1973, when they moved to Grand Island.  She started her career with Bell Telephone in 1944 as an operator and worked her way up to the engineering department before retiring in 1986.

She was a member of St. Leo's Catholic Church, Ladies of St. Leo's and was the president for 3 years of the organization, a charter member of the Saddle Club and Telephone Pioneers of America.  She was a dedicated volunteer with Life Line at St. Francis Medical Center and had over 2,500 volunteer hours and crocheted caps for newborns.  In her spare time she liked to quilt, write poems, draw and participate in theatre productions.  She enjoyed going to football games, track and gymnastic meets, watching golf and horse shows.  Above everything else she loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Survived by children, Craig Houser (Jenna Anderson) of Grand Island, Lisa Dozler (David) of Albion and Sheila Houser-Zealand of Omaha; grandchildren, Cytasha Campa, Brett Houser, Brian Houser (Jessica), Rebecca Iburg (Justin), Penelope Dozler and Elijah Dozler; great grandchildren, Jackson, Abby and Nevaeh; brother, Gary Cartano (Lucy) and sister, Linda Decker (Earl).

Preceded in death by parents; husband; brother, John Cartano and sister, Shirley Pazour.