Joanne (Kellogg) Piazza, 49, died Sept. 27 following a long struggle with leiomyosarcoma.
Joanne was born July 7, 1960 in Austin and graduated from Austin High School.
Joanne spent her summers with family and many friends on Ten Mile Lake in Hackensack, Minn. She loved the lake, sailing and birch trees became her favorite.
In 1988 she graduated from California State University, San Bernardino with a liberal studies degree and a teaching credential.
In 1989 she began her teaching career with the Elk Grove district at Isabelle Jackson Elementary School. She stayed there for the next 20 years, teaching kindergarten, second, third and fourth grades.
She married Joseph Piazza Aug. 5, 1989, school administrator for the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, just before taking up her teaching career.
Her survivors include her husband, Joseph; her children, Chris Kelly of New York City, Janelle Kelly of Elk Grove and Katie Piazza, attending Sonoma State University; and many aunts, uncles and cousins who she loved very much.
She was the daughter of Jim and Karen Kellogg of Walker, Minn. Her family also includes her brother, Jeff (Kristi) Kellogg, and their two children, of Nashville; her brother, David (Jamie) Kellogg, and their three children, of Walker, Minn.; and her brother, Dan (Beth) Kellogg, and their three children, of Wadena, Minn.
A Celebration Mass was held Oct. 1.