JoAnn M. Paradis, 89, died peacefully on August 28, 2026, in Naples, Florida, surrounded by her two daughters, her son in law, and seven grandchildren.

Born October 16, 1936, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Nelson Aldridge Mason and Lurline Bell Mason, JoAnn was the younger sister of John. She grew up in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Mount Lebanon High School before attending Muskingum College, where she was crowned Homecoming Queen. It was there that she met C. Barry Montgomery, the school's football captain and quarterback, whom she later married.

JoAnn and Barry began their married life in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where JoAnn taught school while Barry earned his law degree from the University of Michigan. They later moved to Downers Grove, Illinois, where their daughter Brooke was born, and then to Evanston, where their daughter Jennifer was born. The family eventually settled in Lake Forest, Illinois. Following their divorce, JoAnn and her daughters spent several years living in Aspen, Colorado, before returning to Chicago.

JoAnn built a rich and varied career centered around education, service, and community. In Chicago, she worked for Fourth Presbyterian Church, where she served as Director of Women's Studies. She later joined the Development Department at The Latin School of Chicago and stepped into the classroom to teach kindergarten when a teacher went on maternity leave. After her daughters left for school, JoAnn joined the development department at Culver Academies,
where both Brooke and Jennifer had attended.

During her years at Culver, JoAnn met Armin Willig of Louisville, Kentucky. They married in 1986 and began a life together in Louisville. JoAnn served on the Board of Trustees of the American Printing House for the Blind and supported Armin during his leadership of The American Cancer Society. She loved Louisville and remained there following Armin's death in 1992.

In 1994, JoAnn married Joseph Albert "Bert" Paradis, Jr., who lived across the street from her and had also recently lost his wife. JoAnn and Bert shared a wonderful life together in Louisville while spending much of their time in Naples, Florida, which ultimately became their full-time home. Bert had seven children, thirteen grandchildren, and twenty-one great-grandchildren, all of whom JoAnn embraced and loved as her own.

JoAnn continued her commitment to service throughout her life. In Naples, she served on the board of The Shelter for Abused Women & Children and on the board of Muskingum College as well as supported Bert in his work with Collier Harvest, which he founded. She also enjoyed reading, traveling, following sports, playing golf, and, most of all, spending time with her daughters and grandchildren, who affectionately called her "Gummie."

JoAnn was a beloved mother, grandmother, wife, and friend. She is survived by her daughters, Brooke Kelly and Jennifer O'Scannlain; Jennifer's husband, Sean, and their five children, Rowan, Shea, Fintan, Seton, and Cade; and Brooke's children, Taylor Eidenbock and her husband, Matt, and Lauren Koch and her husband, Drew, who are expecting their first baby this Fall, a new generation JoAnn was so excited to welcome. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Armin Willig and Bert Paradis, and her parents, Nelson Aldridge Mason and Lurline Bell Mason.

JoAnn passed the way she lived, with dignity and grace. Above all, JoAnn had a remarkable way of making people feel seen, valued, and loved. Beautiful, generous, genuinely gracious, and always impeccably stylish, she brought warmth and elegance wherever she went. She loved bringing people together, celebrating life's moments both big and small, and finding joy in everyday life.

Those who knew JoAnn will remember her warmth, her infectious spirit, and a phrase she said so often it became her trademark: "Isn't this fun?" It perfectly captured the way she approached life, with enthusiasm, gratitude, and a genuine delight in sharing it with the people she loved.

Her presence touched countless lives, and she will be deeply missed by the many people who were fortunate enough to know and love her.