Jo Ann Ribelin

Jo Ann Ribelin, of Champaign, passed away on Monday, January 17, 2022 at home. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church, 1303 Lincolnshire Drive, Champaign at 11am on Thursday, January 27, 2022. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, Champaign. There will be no visitation. 



Jo Ann was born on September 3, 1934 in Houston, Texas to Donald and Hattie (DeBrun) Wondrok. Her grandparents were Wesley and Susan (Connolly) Wondrok and Joseph and Minnie (Bouvet) DeBrun. She married Jack Ribelin, her loving husband of over 50 years, on July 20, 1959 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Assumption, Illinois. 



She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jack, her brother Donald (Sonny) Wondrok and her son Anthony Gerard (Tony) Ribelin. Jo Ann is survived by two children, Eric Ribelin of Arlington, Virginia and Mary Ann Ribelin of Champaign and by two sisters, Donna Jannick of Kankakee, Illinois and Kathy (Ron) Dahler of Clinton, Illinois. 



Jo Ann graduated from Assumption High School and Eastern Illinois University (BA) and later received an MA in Education from The University of Illinois. After graduating from Eastern she taught in Robinson, Illinois and Southern California. Jo Ann retired as an instructor at Parkland Community College in Champaign. 



Jo Ann was an avid reader and traveler. She, Jack and children traveled the US visiting national parks, museums and points of local interest while they enjoyed the beauty of the country. For years the travel included, at her request, camping. That period produced stories (and nightmares) that lasted a lifetime. Her interests also included politics and Illini basketball. Jo Ann held a deep faith in God. She regularly prayed the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet and watched daily Mass on-line with her loving daughter, Mary Ann, who faithfully cared for her in the final years. Jo Ann was a loving wife, mother and sister. She will be missed. 






 
 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jo Ann Ribelin, please visit our floral store.