Obituary of Joanna Katherine Featherstone

Joanna Katherine "Legge" Featherstone 39-years-old of Carlinville, passed away at home on October 26, 2013. Joanna was born August 13, 1974 in Carlinville to Ann (Levi) Grichnik and John Legge. She married her soul mate, Mike Featherstone, on January 10, 2012. After earning her B.S.Ed. in Trainable Mentally Handicapped from Illinois State University (ISU) in 1996, Joanna taught Special Education at Southwestern-Piasa, later becoming a building principal and the Director of Special Education. In 2001, she earned her M.S. in Ed., Educational Leadership from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. She was a professor, as well as the Director of Teacher Education, at Blackburn College in Carlinville. In 2011, Joanna achieved a lifelong dream when she earned her EdD in Special Education from ISU. During her studies, she was honored to receive the 2010-2011 Dr. Rose E. Parker Graduate Excellence Award. She was proud to be a professor at her alma mater (ISU), teaching future teachers. Teaching was her passion and she believed herself blessed to have never had a "bad day at the office". Joanna was most proud to be a Mom to her beautiful "mini-me" daughter Maggie, to whom she gave birth on September 28, 1997. She enjoyed cheering Maggie on in volleyball, track, soccer, and life in general. Joanna had a uniquely sharp wit that was enjoyed and embraced by all who loved her. We regret that she will not get to experience those "nursing home wheelchair races" that she indicated she was looking forward to a friend's high school yearbook. In addition to her devoted husband Mike, Joanna is survived by her daughter, Margaret "Maggie" Nicholson of Carlinville; her parents, Ann and Frank Grichnik of Carlinville and John and Rosemary Legge of Smiths Grove, Kentucky; her brother, William Legge (fiancée, Viktorija) of Virden; her sister, Katherine Suttles (Nathan) of Pekin; her stepbrothers Tony Grichnik (Heather) and Mike Grichnik (Laura), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who loved her. Of course, she would say, "Love You More". She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Margaret (Schoenherr) Levi Bloomfield and her grandfather, William Legge. Funeral Information Visitation services to be held at Davis-Anderson Funeral Home in Carlinville on Tuesday, October 29, from 4-8 p.m. Funeral services to be held at Carlinville United Methodist Church at Wednesday, October 30, at 10:30 a.m. Donations Information Macoupin Center for the Developmentally Disabled. Directions Visitation: Davis Anderson in Carlinville Service: Carlinville United Methodist Church