"Grandma Jo-Jo" passed away peacefully on October 28, 2023 at her home in Poulsbo, Washington with all of her family around her.

Joanne Marie Hitchcock Amrich (nee' Johnson) was born in 1941 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska. She was the eldest of six children born to Meg (Rita) and Clarence Johnson, arriving shortly after a night of dancing, which might explain her penchant for that particular talent.

Joanne grew up in Fairbanks where she attended Catholic schools, graduating from Monroe High School in 1959. She and her siblings were active in many school events, including sports, music and dance.

Joanne and her brothers, Jay and Skip, repeatedly won Fairbanks Bandstand dance competitions that were broadcast on KFAR-TV, hosted by local DJ Wee Willy Wally in the late 1950's. Later, she made sure that her own children knew how to swing dance and do the jitterbug.

She married Lawrence (Larry) Randolph Hitchcock on January 19,1961 in the little white church on the banks of the Chena River in Fairbanks, where she was baptized as a child. The couple would go on to baptize all five of their children there as well. They had a marriage that centered around their strong Catholic faith, love of family, and a clean house. (Jokingly, her kids often referred to their home as Jo-Jo's boot camp, but boy can they fold a fitted sheet!) Joanne and Larry relocated to Anchorage for Larry's work in 1970 and raised their children there, but they still spent summers and holidays in Fairbanks with Joanne's mother and siblings.

Joanne was very active in Sweet Adelines, traveling to singing competitions all over Alaska and the lower '48, where she developed many lifelong friendships. Her children have early memories of watching their mother dance and sing on stage. Her niece reminisced recently about watching 'Aunt Joanie' tap dance on the landing of their split level Anchorage home in the late '80's.

Joanne was an amazing seamstress and early photos of her five children boast of her talents. She made their school outfits all through the seventies and could sew just about anything. Later, she was known for her beautiful and intricate quilts which she passed on to her family and are coveted by her children and grandchildren.

After her husband's death in 1991 she relocated to the Seattle area to be near her grown daughters, where she worked for Holland America. Eventually, she reconnected with an old classmate from Monroe, Michael Amrich, and they were married in 1995. He also had five children who affectionately called her 'Mama Jo.' The couple lived in Riverside, California for many years and Joanne volunteered snuggling babies in the NICU at Loma Linda hospital, something that was very dear to her heart.

In 2006, her son built her and Michael a sweet little home in Poulsbo, Washington where they spent the last seventeen years. Joanne was able to quilt and sew with her grandchildren and be closer to friends and family for the rest of her life. Whenever someone said, "I love you," her response was always, "I love you more."

She was especially looking forward to the birth of her first great grandchild, Finn, due in January 2024. One of her last sewing projects was a flannel blanket for him. Her spirit will welcome him into the world as it did all of her grandchildren through the love she stitched into her projects.

Joanne is survived by her husband, Michael Amrich, of Poulsbo as well as all of her siblings: Jay, Skip, Ted, Bonnie, and Betty Sue and many beloved nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her dear mother, Meg Johnson, who is almost 104 and whose voice Joanne was able to hear in her final hours.

She will live on through her children and their partners: Debbie Jo (Jim), Colleen, Bonnie-Sue, Stacie (Chuck), and Randy (Bridget) and her grandchildren: Brandon, Taylor, Dylan, Kendall, Cody, Parker, Jacci, Gabrielle, Sylvia, Connor and Lola. Joanne will make her final resting place back home in Anchorage beside her beloved first husband, Larry.

A celebration of life will be held at the Island Lake Community Building. 1087 NW Island Lake Road in Poulsbo, Washington at 1pm on December 4, 2023. Donations in her memory can be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.