Joanna C. Zauchenberger

Joanna Zauchenberger, 92, of Leawood, KS, passed away Saturday, November 23rd, 2024 at Brookdale of Shawnee. 

Joanna was born January 20, 1932 in Englewood, New Jersey. She was the youngest of two daughters of immigrant Greek parents, Stergios and Katina Chiotinos, who came to the United States during the late 1920’s. Joanna and her sister, Ismeine, grew up in a Greek neighborhood of Nashua, NH while the country was still experiencing the Great Depression. 

Joanna and Ismeine attended the local Greek School, with Joanna eventually attending Brown University in Providence, RI. After graduating from Brown with degrees in French and Art History, Joanna attended Yale Graduate School in New Haven, CT where she earned a Masters in Education. It was at the Yale “International House”, a dormitory for immigrant students, that Joanna met her future husband, Herwig Gerhard Zauchenberger, who was an Austrian immigrant graduate student working on a PHD in philology. 

After getting married, Herwig and Joanna started their family in Hamden, CT with the birth of their sons Mark and Stefan. While Herwig held a position as professor at Yale, Joanna was working as a French teacher for a local school. 

Nine years later, Herwig’s job took them to Claremont, CA for 4 years and then to Kansas City where he was the Dean of Graduate Studies for UMKC. It was here that Joanna continued her career, teaching French at The Barstow School. She would keep this position for more than 25 years, finally retiring in 1999. Joanna loved teaching and her students adored her. 

During this time, Joanna was also the regional director for the American Institute for Foreign Study. Every summer, she would take a group of American students abroad, as she wanted very much to share the sites, history, culture, and cuisine of Europe with all the students.

Joanna and Herwig were dedicated patrons of the Arts. The couple were generous donors to the Lyric Opera and a constant presence at performances. Joanna spent countless hours volunteering as a guide at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art nearly every weekend. 

Joanna was an amazing and devoted grandmother to Michael and Matthew as well as to their cousin, John Hanson. She cherished her time with the boys, babysitting frequently and teaching them about art, languages, food, and music. 

After retirement, Herwig was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Joanna became his selfless, loving caretaker during the many years that his illness progressed, until his death in December of 2012. 

Joanna was a woman of immense intellect with extraordinary accomplishments during her lifetime, especially in educating and inspiring her students. She was an endless source of empathy and love for family and friends. Her presence will be greatly missed.

Joanna is survived by her sons Mark and Stefan (Laura), grandsons Michael (Elyse) and Matthew, great-grandson Theodore and beloved nephew, Chris Dupont.

Services will be held on Saturday, November 30th at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS: Rosary 9:30AM, Visitation 9:45AM, Funeral Mass 10:30AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Barstow School or St. Joseph Catholic Church.