LADY LAKE, FL
Joann Scifres, a Columbus resident from 1981 – 1997, died peacefully at her home in Lady Lake, Florida, on Sunday, January 10 at the age of 89. She enjoyed an active retirement, playing bridge with her husband and tennis with her girlfriends each week until this past year.
Joann was born on March 26, 1931 in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. She adopted Indiana as her home state while attending Earlham College. Joann went on to earn bachelor’s degrees in literature and business education, and a master’s in education administration from Indiana University. While pursuing her doctorate, Joann fell in love with Gene Scifres and they married in 1974.
Although Joann began her career as an Executive Secretary for Standard Oil in Indianapolis, she found her true vocation as a teacher. She began teaching business at Salem High School before moving to Columbus North High School and then on to the Columbus campus of IUPUI.
At every level, Joann’s proudest achievement was inspiring the women and men she taught. At Salem High, she founded Business Office Education (BOE), the state’s first and award-winning vocational training program that equipped students to pursue business careers right out of high school. She continued that tradition of mentoring her students both at Columbus North and IUPUI.
A life-long learner, when Joann realized word processing would take the place of typing, she took computer courses with her students at IUPUI. She loved learning as much as she loved teaching and helped her students (and daughters) fall in love with learning?at the front of a classroom, the side of a computer, and across the kitchen table.
Joann is survived by her beloved husband of 47 years, Gene Scifres, a retiree of Cummins Engine; daughters Caroline Kenfield, Rebecca Howe, Kathy Scifres, and Mary Scifres, a graduate of Columbus East High School; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including her namesake and youngest great-grandchild, Emma Joann Baker, a light that kept Joann going this past year.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites your donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Joann’s memory.
