Rethlake

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JoAnn or “Joanie” as her family and friends called her, was a great and immutable force in the lives of those she touched. She made everyone feel welcomed, included, and loved. She grew up in Rosenberg and was the youngest of four, and the only daughter to Joseph and Wilma Stryk.

As a young adult, she graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. She then met and married Mike Griffin, and they traveled all over the world on so many adventures, camping and surfing, but the moment she found out she was pregnant with her first son, Shaun, she knew she needed to come home to Texas.

Back home in Texas, she grew her family to four children. After her relationship with Mike ended, she went to work for the Harris County Department of Education and eventually pursued a Master’s degree in Education. She worked during the day and went to school at night for the betterment of her family.

Her professional career with the Harris Country Department of Education began in 1986 as an Adult Technician. In the years working in public service, she launched numerous professional development initiatives that elevated the level of Adult Education instruction and catapulted Texas forward in this much needed sector of education. She established regional training centers for Adult Education staff so that relevant evidence- based training could be readily available to instructors throughout the state and, also, established a teacher credential project to further develop adult education instructors.

Joanie worked with the U.S. Department of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and adult educators throughout Texas to develop and implement a student data system that led to data-based instruction. She connected local adult education leaders to ideas, research, and innovation through the Leadership Excellence Academy. Joanie was the first state leader to openly address learning disabilities in the adult education classroom. When Joanie retired, she held the position of State of Texas Director of Adult Education.

It was during this time that she met her husband, Roger. In 1988, their friend Rob hosted a party to get them acquainted. Eleven years later, Joanie and Roger were married and have since been inseparable. Joanie loved creating and helping, and Roger was the key to take it to the next level. With Roger, she had someone to drop off cupcakes at her daughter’s house while she was making two cakes at home. Joanie could not be “Joanie” without Roger.

Throughout her whole career, she always made the time to be a present and driving force in the lives of her children and extended family. Upon her retirement in 2011, she dedicated even more time to doing the things she loved most. Joanie was constantly “doing.” If she was at home, she would spend her time gardening, cutting the grass, creating new plant-life with cuttings from her favorite flowers and trees to give to her family and friends. If she was inside her home, she was sewing clothes or baking for her children while watching classic movies or the Astros…. every single game.

Her children blessed her with seven grandchildren, all of whom she treasured. Each of their birthdays was celebrated with intricate custom cakes. All her grandchildren are involved in many activities, so like with her children, Joanie was always at their events. She attended every singing showcase and theater play for her granddaughter, Brooke, and she was a mainstay at the baseball and basketball games for her grandsons, Michael, James, Leo and Luc; and, also, at Vivian’s school/ cheer events. She was also the first person to walk with Julian along the beach when he found his first seashell.

Joanie was a devout and faithful Catholic. She was a lector at her hometown church, Holy Rosary, as well as a Eucharistic Minister and was responsible for scheduling the ministries. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters, and active in the annual church bazaar.

Her love for travel never left her. She would accompany her children on the annual beach trip; she flew to the Czech Republic to see her ancestral home and visit her cousin Karel and his family, and she and Roger would annually take two trips: one to Colorado or Montana where they would fish, hike and watch meteor showers, and another to the Bahamas or Florida beaches where she would spend hours combing the beach for shark teeth, sand dollars and seashells.

Joanie’s character was unimpeachable. After she and Mike parted ways, they stayed friends. They co-parented the kids, and he came to parties at her house. After they both remarried, both couples remained friends. When her children would bring a school friend home who didn’t have stable housing, Joanie would make sure that the friend knew they had a home with her.

She loved her daughter-inlaw and sons-in-law like her own. In Joanie’s eyes all her family were loved unconditionally.

Joanie wanted the people she loved around her, so she and Roger hosted river trips three times a year. Everyone was invited. A usual float trip down the cool Guadalupe River would include over thirty people. Afterward our adventure down the river, we would all head back to camp for dinner and friendship around the campfire. If someone coming to the river party was vegan, she made sure to have vegan options. If someone had a food allergy, she made sure they were accommodated. Joanie even asked everyone, coming to thanksgiving, what they wanted for desert, and she made each one from the heart.

To say that the cup of her life was full would be an understatement. Joanie was the never ending spring of water that filled so many of us with her love, time and knowledge. She was the life source that kept so many of us nourished, and for that, we are all eternally grateful.

She is preceded in death by her father Joseph Stryk, her mother Wilma Stryk, and her brother Mike Stryk. She is survived by her loving husband, Roger Rethlake, her children: Shaun Griffin and wife, Kelly; Nicole Arizpe and husband, VJ; Natalie Scott and husband, Steven; Patrick Griffin, and her grandchildren: Michael, Brooke, James, Leo, Vivian, Luc, and Julian: and her brothers Pat Stryk and wife Eve, and Mark Stryk and wife Debbi.

Visitation began at 5 p.m. followed by a Rosary at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 in the Chapel of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home in Rosenberg.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg. Burial to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Rosenberg.

Tributes and words of condolence may be left for the family at www.davisgreenlawnfh. com.

Arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home in Rosenberg.