Joanna D. Reilly - Rattelade

Colonel Joanna D. Reilly-Rattalade, the daughter of John Didick and Mary (Hwalick) Didick and the wife of Gerard J. Rattelade, Jr., passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2020 in Oxford, North Carolina. Joanna was born on June 23, 1942 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Joanna grew up in McAdoo, Pennsylvania and graduated from McAdoo High School in 1960. She earned her Nursing degree from Philadelphia General School of Nursing in 1963. She worked at Philadelphia General Hospital from 1963 to 1965. Later in her career, she earned her master’s degree in nursing administration.

Joanna took her oath of office joining the United States Air Force on June 8, 1965. During her 25-year career in the Air Force, she was stationed in the United States, Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. She volunteered for Vietnam but was instead sent to Clark Air Force base in the Philippines. Here she served during 1967, 1968 and 1969, through the worst time period in the Vietnam War for casualties. During this time, many thousands of military personnel were killed or wounded in Vietnam. Thousands and thousands of very seriously wounded men were sent to Clark base for treatment. Joanna worked many long hours, diligently taking care of these men.

Joanna again volunteered for Vietnam and she was sent to Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam in 1970. Here she again took care of the wounded men. Joanna finished her Air Force career on the IG Team. In that job, she traveled around the world inspecting medical facilities to make sure they met the proper standards. She retired from the Air Force in 1990 with the rank of Colonel. This is a list of the bases where Joanna served during her Air Force career:

1. Gunter AIR Force Base in Alabama
2. Air Defense Command in Portland, Oregon
3. Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida
4. Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines
5. Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska
6. Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam
7. Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska
8. Hill Air Force Base in Utah
9. Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland
10. Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota
11. Osan Air Force Base in South Korea
12. Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois
13. March Air Force Base in California

Colonel Joanna D. Reilly-Rattelade is an American Hero.

Joanna was a very strong, compassionate, loving, and generous person. She always thought of others before herself. Joanna was deeply spiritual and very wise, she had a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul. She loved spending time with her husband Gerard at Cape Lookout and Beaufort, North Carolina, where they boated, hunted for shells, watched the wild horses, fished, had long walks and watched the sunsets for many years. Cooking for others, also brought Joanna great joy. Two of her most requested and favorite dishes were Jambalaya and Greek Soup.

Joanna is survived by her husband, Gerard J. Rattelade, Jr and his family; also, her nieces, Barbara Liparela of Dallas, PA., Mary Ruth Price of McAdoo, PA., Joanne Dougherty of Weatherly, PA., Joan Nortavage of University City, PA., and Renata Devine of University, PA,; her nephews, Mark Postupack of Weatherly, PA., Barry Postupack of Hazleton, PA., Russell Postupack of Silverbrook, PA and numerous great nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed by her very close friends and her veteran comrades.

Joanna was predeceased by her parents, John and Mary Didick; her sisters, Mary D. Postupack and Evelyn Dunlap; her brother, Daniel Didick and her nephew, Franklin Dunlap.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made in her honor to the Wolfhounds Veterans Association at 6240 High Country Drive, Helena, Montana, 59602 or to the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation, 2247 West Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60622

The funeral mass will be held on November 20, 2020 at 12:00 pm at Saint James Catholic Church, located at 3275 US-158 Bypass, Henderson, North Carolina 27537. After the Catholic mass, a rite of committal service and military honors will take place at Meadowview Memorial Park located at US Highway 15 North, Oxford, North Carolina, 27565. Please wear a mask and practice proper social distancing.

The family is proudly being served by Gentry-Newell & Vaughan of 503 College Street, Oxford, North Carolina, 27565. Online memorials: http://gnvfuneralhome.tributecenteronline.com/