Joan L. Mathia

Joan Lee (nee Schave) Mathia 

Joan Lee Mathia, age 85, of Ripon, WI, died Saturday, April 13, 2024 at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac with her family by her side and the Masters on TV.

Joan was born in Ripon, WI, on February 8, 1939, to George and Martha (Linetty) Schave. Joan attended school in Ripon and graduated in 1957. She married Robert “Bob” Mathia in 1957 at St. Wenceslaus in Ripon.

Joan worked at Kathryn’s clothing store during high school and after marriage, up until she became a stay-at-home mom, raising their five children. In 1978 Joan and Bob bought Diedrich Jewelers and opened Diedrich-Mathia Jewelers in Berlin which Joan managed. As we know, behind every good man is a greater woman, and the 40-year success of Diedrich Jewelers can be attributed to both Joan and Bob’s hard work.

 In 1985 she opened a women’s clothing store called Classy Lady Boutique in downtown Ripon. She enjoyed dressing up Ripon area women and worked hard to make the store a success.

Joan loved to golf and she was darn good at it, hitting the ball long and straight. She was the instructor for junior golf at Tuscumbia Country Club and always provided teaching moments when you golfed with her. She was the Tuscumbia Country Club Women’s Champion five times and shared her love of the game with her children and grandchildren.

Bob and Joan hosted all of the holidays with family and friends at their house on South Grove with delicious food and memorable moments. Her family will always remember how she made each holiday special for them. She was a secret Santa year-round, anonymously helping people when they needed it the most. She was an incredible mother and grandmother. Her family was lucky to have her. Joan and Bob wintered in Scottsdale, AZ for years and loved the warm weather where they could golf, enjoy the art fairs, explore the west and meet new friends.   

The most important trait of Joan’s was how strong she was. For the last seven years she dealt with so much physical pain from her brain tumor, yet she never gave up looking for relief. The trauma she went through was unbearable, but she stayed strong waiting for the day she would be without pain.  She was a member of St. Patrick/St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and practiced her faith every week.

Joan is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Bob; her daughters, Laura (Chuck) Chipman, Ann (Mark) Belau, Shelly (Derek) Kastenschmidt, and their son Robb (Molly) Mathia; son-in-law, Steve Oesterreich; sister, Judy (Jim) Goyette; sister-in-law, Lois Kotlowski; 15 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Oesterreich; parents, George and Martha Schave; sister, Georgine Mill; brother, Tom Schave; nephew, John Mill; in-laws, Alfred and Lucy Mathia; and brother-in-law, Howard Kotlowski.

The family would like to thank all of the staff and clergy at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac, WI where Joan spent her last few years. The care she received was outstanding and the friendships she made with both staff and residents will forever be cherished. We thank them for their patience with Bob, letting him eat with mom and her friends, and reminding him to take his phone with him.

Memorial Mass for Joan will be held Saturday, April 20 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 228 Blossom St., Ripon, WI 54971, with visitation from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and mass starting at 11:00 am with Fr. Jim Leary, OFM Cap and Rev. William Whalen officiating. You may view a livestream of the mass by visiting www.facebook.com/stcatherineripon. Inurnment will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery, town of Ripon, at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established in Joan’s name.