February 19, 1944 – December 1, 2021

JoAnne unexpectedly passed away on December 1, 2021 while knitting, one of her favorite pastimes. She was born in San Francisco on February 19, 1944, to Robert and Dorothy Henderson. She grew up in Rialto, CA graduating from St. Bernadine’s High School in 1961. Thereafter, she attended San Bernardino Valley College. In 1965, she graduated from San Francisco State College earning her Teacher’s Credential. She began her teaching career in Santa Rosa, a profession she dearly loved and dedicated her life to.
In 1966, she met Richard Bottini, her husband and life partner. They married in 1967 in San Anselmo. They visited Lake Tahoe for its beauty, skiing, and outdoor recreational activities and moved here in 1969. They have 2 children – Jennifer and Geoffrey. After the children became of school age, she returned to teaching, first substituting then returning to full-time teaching at LTUSD. In addition to teaching her students, she also educated other teachers. JoAnne retired in 2006, but kept in touch with many students and teachers.
JoAnne and Rich have a second home in Los Barriles, Baja Sur, Mexico where they enjoyed spending time with their friends and fishing on the Sea of Cortez. She loved traveling with Rich from Baja to Alaska and everywhere in between.
She enjoyed making blankets for Project Linus, made masks during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, and knit hats for children in need. She also enjoyed knitting blankets and sweaters for family and friends. She loved her friends and family and had the liveliest Sunday dinners.
Joanne is survived by Rich, her children Jennifer Aguilar (Mike), Geoffrey Bottini, her grandchildren Natalie and Matthew Mendonca, and her brother Bob Henderson (Margo).
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Project Linus (projectlinus.org). Mass will be held at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church on January 22, 2022, at 11:00 AM.