Joan Guyon Greshik

Joan Guyon Greshik, 84, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on September 19, 2026. Joan came into the world with a bang on July 4th, 1942, to Ella Anesi Guyon and George John Guyon.

Joan spent her early childhood in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, where a love of learning took root early and never left her. She carried a lifelong love of travel and the arts, and it mattered deeply to her that her children and grandchildren grew up exposed to different cultures and points of view. She graduated from Riverside-Brookfield Township High School in 1960, then attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1964.

It was during her clinical rotations at UW–Madison Hospital where Joan met a young patient in her care, a man who would become the love of her life, soulmate, and husband, Joseph J. Greshik. They married on December 4, 1964, at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Fountain City.

Joan’s deep tenacity for learning and even deeper compassion for others made her an exceptional nurse. She took time away from her field to raise her young family. Decades after earning her BSN, she went back for her Master of Science in Nursing from UW–Eau Claire in 1990, writing her thesis on nurses’ attitudes toward spiritual care. She continued her education at St. Catherine’s, where she specialized in pediatric nursing and also earned her certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Her career carried her from the bedside at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Wabasha, Minnesota, to the school nurse’s office in the Cochrane-Fountain City and Onalaska districts, and eventually to the classroom, where she taught nursing students at Viterbo College. She remained deeply engaged in her profession, staying active in the American Nurses Association, the Wisconsin Nurses Association, and the National Association of School Nurses. In 2005, that lifetime of dedication was recognized when she was named a Fellow of the National Academy of School Nursing, an honor reserved for those who have made lasting contributions to the health of children and families. She also published her advocacy work in national nursing journals, carrying school-nursing concerns into the broader public policy conversation.

Joan traded her city upbringing for a quieter life on the farm with Joe, and the land gave her a deep appreciation for the natural world around her. She loved observing wildlife and found solace in nature. Her and Joe were passionate conservationists, and after his early passing, Joan carried that work forward on her own, preserving hundreds of acres of family land along the Mississippi River through the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. It was important for her to preserve the land for all future generations. She wanted the gift of nature to endure and touch others beyond her lifetime.

Joe and Joan took pride in the land they tended, but nothing made them prouder than the family they built together, one rooted in hard work, compassion, and community. That philanthropic spirit stayed with Joan her whole life. Beyond nursing, she was a devoted civic leader, active for years in the Winona Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), serving as its President in 2011 and co-chairing that year’s Minnesota AAUW State Convention. She later served as a Director of the Winona Community Foundation and on the board of the Prairie Moon, giving her time to philanthropic work across the region. She volunteered as the nurse for the Wisconsin Lions Summer Camp. Whatever the cause, Joan believed in lifting up the people and the place she called home.

Joan’s faith was a quiet constant throughout her life. A devoted Catholic, she found strength and grounding in her relationship with God, spending years immersed in Bible study and holding fast to her faith through every season of life. That same faith brought comfort to her family and community, and it will carry her home now, to St. Lawrence Catholic Church, where she will be laid to rest among the people and places she loved most.

She is survived by her children, Elizabeth (Kevin) Smith, Jacqueline Swan, Keith (Rita) Greshik, Jennifer Greshik, and Katherine (Craig) Griffin; her ten grandchildren; and her three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph J. Greshik; her daughter, Heidi; and her parents, George and Ella Guyon.

Funeral services for Joan will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, November 20, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Alma, with Father Albert officiating. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. before the service. Burial will follow at Fountain City Public Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Ben & Adith Miller Patient Care Fund, Winona Health.

The family would like to express gratitude to the community for their thoughtful and compassionate care, preserving her independence for as long as possible.