Joan M. Withrow, 52, of Chillicothe, passed away at 7:16pm Saturday, July 30, 2022 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria after a sudden onset and short battle with a severe illness.

She was born in Peoria to Ralph and Karen Roese Cotton.  They survive.  Also surviving is her brother, Dr. Brad (Karen) Cotton; aunt, Lucy Roese; uncle and aunt, Jerry and Cindy Roese; uncle, Don Roese, aunt, Jan Delp; many cousins; and her fur babies, Buzz, Shalee, and Fred.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Bill and Sis Roese, and L.T. and Blanche Cotton; uncle Denny Roese; aunt, Carla Roese; and numerous fur babies.

Joan graduated from Dunlap High School, Illinois Central College and attended Illinois State University.

At the time of her death she worked as an engineering technician in the Materials unit at The Illinois Department of Transportation District 4.  Previously, she worked as a veterinarian technician or most of her adult life.

Joan was destined to be a lover and caretaker of animals.  Growing up she had a duck, dogs, rabbits and goats.  With the help of her dad, she raised quail and pheasants, banded them and released them into the wild.  Anyone who knew Joan would say that she had been a cat in her previous life, and her greatest love was for cats.  She always had between two and five and they were her children.  Joan also cat sat for other people while they were away from home.  Her family knows she will be reincarnated as a cat.

Joan's second love was music, and she traveled many miles to see her favorite group, Fleetwood Mac, in concert.  In fact, she passed her love of music on to her brother and took him to his first concert to see Fleetwood Mac.  Joan and her uncle Don traveled together as far as Woodstock, NY to enjoy music festivals.  This also initiated her hobby of tie-dyeing and finding new techniques to create different designs.

Cremation has been accorded.  A celebration of life will be held at the Dunlap American Legion at 5511 Legion Hall Road in Dunlap, IL 61525 on Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 1 to 3 pm.  Deiters Funeral Home and Crematory in Washington is assisting the family with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pets for Seniors Shelter at P.O. Box 9486 in Peoria, IL 61612, Foster Pet Outreach at P.O. Box 4 in Edwards, IL 61528, or Sams Stray Animal Midway Shelter at 328 South Pinkerton Road in Hanna City, IL 61536.