Joanna Ver Halen, 62, a 37-year resident of River Forest, died on Jan. 19, 2019 after a short illness. Born in Clinton, Indiana on Sept. 1, 1956 to the late Tolbert and Della Bushong, she graduated from Turkey Run High School in Marshall, Indiana in 1974 and received her bachelor's degree from Purdue University in 1977. After Joanna moved to River Forest, she received her law degree from Loyola University College of Law. She was a longtime member of the Chicago Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild. 

Joanna Ver Halen was the wife of Jon; the mother of Alison, Gregory and Nicholas; the sister of John Bushong; the daughter-in-law of Marilyn and the late Richard Ver Halen; the sister-in-law of Mark (Jina Lebert), Kirk (Jimmie Lopez), Erik (Stephanie), Ben (Trish), Lisa (Donald) Maxwell, Christian (Nisha) and Todd Ver Halen; and the aunt and great-aunt of many. 

Visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park, followed by private interment.