Teresa M. (McCarthy) Joens

TERESA M. (MCCARTHY) JOENS

Marion

Teresa M. (McCarthy) Joens, 36, of Marion, Iowa, formerly of East Dubuque, Ill., passed away on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, from a two-in-a-half year battle with Leukemia, with her husband by her side.

Mass of Christian Burial will be

10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 3, at St. Mary's Church in East Dubuque, with the Rev. Peter Snieg and the Rev. Mark Murphy concelebrating. Burial will be in the East Dubuque Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Miller Funeral Home in East Dubuque, where the parish scripture service will be at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday. There will be a private visitation for family only on Thursday morning at the funeral home. The funeral Mass will be livesteamed on The Miller Funeral Home Group Facebook Page.

Teresa was born on Oct. 1, 1984, in Dubuque, Iowa, the daughter of James W. and Cathy M. (Jasper) McCarthy. She was a graduate of East Dubuque High School, class of 2003. Teresa graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree. Teresa was employed as a data analyst at Raining Rose in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

On May 28, 2016, she was united in marriage to Richard L. Joens at the Church of the Resurrection in Dubuque. Teresa and Richard welcomed their only child, Christian on Feb. 23, 2018. Christian was born prematurely with a birth defect and Teresa devoted all of her time to care for their child and never left his side while in the hospital. Due to her diligence, he was able to fully recover and is thriving.

She loved her husband and son, Christian deeply. Teresa enjoyed making people happy, a love for dogs, listening to NPR, cheering on her Hawkeyes and had a fierce love for her nieces and nephews. Amongst her hobbies she enjoyed traveling, art, history and was an amazing reader. On their honeymoon to Europe they enjoyed the Art Museums of Italy and also visited Paris, France. Her favorite city was Venice, Italy, and she looked forward to going back there again someday.

Surviving is her husband, Richard; their son, Christian Dean Joens; her parents, Jim and Cathy (Jasper) McCarthy; and sister, Jessica (Patrick) Winders, both of East Dubuque; her brother, William McCarthy of Dubuque, Iowa; nieces and nephews, Alexander and Lucas Winders, and Owen and Norah McCarthy; grandparents, Delores McCarthy of East Dubuque, and Ralph and Richene Jasper of Dubuque; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Dianne Joens of Riceville, Iowa; in-laws, Daryl (Brenda) Joens of Osage, Iowa, and their children, Bailey, Jenna and Jackson, and Darla Joens of West Des Moines, and her daughter, Laticia Joens, and her fiance, Cody Peterson.

She was preceded in death by her grandfather, James L. McCarthy.

Richard and family would like to extend special thanks to the Oncology Teams at UIHC, Iowa City, Mercy Hospital, Cedar Rapids, and to CarePro of Cedar Rapids for the wonderful care given to Teresa.

In lieu of flowers, a Teresa M. Joens memorial fund has been established.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.millerfhed.com.