Joan E. Kroll

Obituary's Biography:

It is with great sadness that the family of Joan Esther Kroll (Brefeld) announce her passing on June 5, 2025 at Lake Forest Hospital.

Joan was born February 15, 1929 to John and Lona Brefeld, joining her sister Norma and just a few years ahead of her brother, John “Jack.” She attended Immaculate Conception Grade School and graduated from Waukegan Township High School in 1946. Joan went on to take shorthand at Lake County College of Commerce and business and language classes at Waukegan Adult Evening School. She quickly found herself a Navy man and married him September 17, 1949. Joan and Edward Kroll went on to have five children and were married for 71 years.

During that time, Joan held a variety of professional roles — she was a part-time “girl Friday” at Grand Gardens, a Patient Service Representative at St. Therese Hospital, a Bookkeeper and Secretary at Triform Corporation, a Senior Secretary at A.C. Nielsen Company, and Executive Secretary to the CEO at Rust-Oleum.

Throughout her life, Joan was a devout Catholic. She was a member of St. Gilbert’s and Immaculate Conception. Later in her life, when she wasn’t volunteering at her parish, she liked to go on long early-morning walks through Rollins Savanna, solve 1000+ piece puzzles, and travel the world with her husband, family, and friends. She was always a huge Peanuts fan, and she loved a good romance story. You could often find her reading, at the library browsing for books, watching the Hallmark channel, or treating herself to a chocolate soda.

Joan is preceded in death by her brother, sister, and husband. She is survived by her children, Kathy Herbert of Chicago, Michael Kroll of Gurnee, Donna (Glen) Kroll of Hilton Head, John (Sandy, Ryne) Kroll of Grayslake, and Mary (Nick) Puccini of Schaumburg; two grandchildren, Taylor Puccini of Chicago and Brooke Puccini of Schaumburg; along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, and she will be hugely missed.

Service and interment will be Monday, June 16 at Ascension Catholic Cemetery at 11 am. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org), Grayslake Library Foundation (https://www.grayslake.info/library-foundation/), or Lake County Forest Preserve (https://www.lcfpd.org).  All funeral arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  For mor information log onto www.strangfuneral.org or contact (847)223-8122.