Obituary of JoAnn Palmieri

JoAnn (Pappalardo) Palmieri Of South Fayette Twp., formerly of North Fayette Twp., on July 18, 2013. Dedicated to the profession of nursing, JoAnn Palmieri served veterans of the United States Military with the art of caring. Born in Ohio to a father who served during WWII in the Army Air Corps then the United States Air Force, JoAnn moved around the world in her childhood. During the moves, JoAnn went to eight primary schools. She started the first grade in Margate, England in 1952 and entered two other first grade classes followed by two 2nd grade schools in France. After returning to the states, she continued to move around with her parents and the USAF. She was enrolled into three more schools including a school in Louisiana, a high school in Michigan before graduating from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. It was a move to Pittsburgh and at Columbia School of Nursing where she earned a Diploma in Nursing and met her beloved husband, Tony Palmieri. JoAnn devoted her life to caring for her family and others. She worked at St. Clair Hospital, went part-time to raise her two children then at age 43, she decided to go back to school. She earned a Bachelor's in the Science of Nursing from The Pennsylvania State University where she tested out of many courses. She was quite accomplished. JoAnn was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, National Nursing Honor Society. She was a member of many nursing organizations like the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and American College of Nurse Practitioners. Once having her BSN she started teaching Nursing at Ohio Valley Hospital. While there, she pursued a Masters in Science of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh. She was in the first class and only one of six who graduated in the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program. JoAnn was certified as a Nurse Practitioner in both Acute Care and Gerontology. While at Pitt she served as a grad assistant in research. She initially worked as a nurse practitioner at Allegheny General Hospital in Oncology with her mentors, Dr. Stanley Marks and the late Dr. Jeffrey Stogan. Her love of cardiology drove her to UPMC Presby. She respected those she worked with especially Dr. McNamara and Dr. Murali. Her early life as a military brat pushed her love for cardiology to the VAPHS where she was most compassionate to veterans. JoAnn Palmieri loved taking care of veterans as a Nurse Practitioner in Cardiology with Dr. David Zielinski. Her husband said, "JoAnn never WORKED a day in her life!" Caring for others was her love. She was known at the VAPHS for sitting next to patients or on their bed with them, teaching them heart care. She stayed late most days making sure discharge instructions were understood. Her touch was far reaching to veterans as far north as Erie, south into West Virginia, east to Altoona and west in Ohio. JoAnn loved to travel. She made many trips to Italy and Austria. Her last big trip was to Normandy, France which stirred many emotions from her childhood but was able to share many stories with her traveling companion, her daughter. One would be surprised to know she went on a dog sled adventure in the bitter cold of Minnesota with her two children. She will be dearly missed by Claudine Palmieri in Maryland who followed in her mother's footsteps and is a nurse and Matthew Palmieri in Virginia who served in Iraq. In addition to her husband, Tony, JoAnn is survived by her childrem, Claudine and Matthew, sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, family is requesting donations to the VAPHS-Voluntary Services/Fisher House Fund, 1010 Delafield Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 to serve veterans and their families at VAPHS. Friends received Sunday, 2-6 PM, in the Warchol Funeral Home, Inc., 3060 Washington Pike, Bridgeville (412-221-3333). Services and interment will be private.