Joanne Lee Averitt Ralph passed away at her home with her husband Bill at her side on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

Joanne was born in Portsmouth, Virginia on August 29, 1948, the only child of Joseph and Marion Averitt. She attended schools in the Portsmouth area until the family moved to northern Virginia where her father had gotten work at the pentagon. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1966. She attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, graduating in 1970 with a sociology degree. She often related the story that after her parents dropped her off at college, they never came back to get her, so she stayed in the area.

After college, she began her teaching career. She taught at Hugh Mercer Elementary in Fredericksburg, Battlefield Middle, Chancellor Middle, and Ni River Middle in Spotsylvania. When she retired in 2010, she had accumulated 42 years of teaching. At times she dabbled in real estate sales.

On February 20th of 1979 Joanne gave birth to her only child, Joseph Averitt Collier, aka Joey. The weather was so bad that the rescue squad was called to take her through the snow to the hospital.

In 1995, Joanne placed a call to a male friend, Bill, she had known in the 70's, and asked to speak to his wife. When Bill said there was no wife, a friendship was re-established after a 17 year gap. That friendship developed into a loving marriage that just marked its twenty year anniversary. Regardless of the weather, every day Joanne told Bill, "Today is a beautiful day, to be in love."

Joanne loved clothes. It is unlikely that anyone she knew ever saw her in the same outfit twice. She loved to travel and to explore restaurants for good food. And she loved the beach - any beach, but the Outer Banks became Bill and Joanne's favorite. They spent a week there almost every year with their Boston Terriers, Buster and Bruno. She was a member of the Fredericksburg Country Club, and spent nearly every sunny summer day at the pool with a group of good friends.

In 2012, Joanne was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. She gradually lost the ability to speak, to eat solid food, to walk, and eventually lost control of every voluntary muscle in her body. Her husband was her primary care giver, and kept her at home among her things and her family. In August, she got very ill and spent 30 days in the hospital. A few days after returning home, she took her final breath.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, Joanne's survivors ask that you give a donation to the ALS association in her name. No services are planned. Online condolences may be made at laurelhillfuneralhome.com