Obituary of Joanne M. Desnoes

Joanne Marie Desnoes was born as Tsunako Oishi in Tokyo Japan as the first daughter of Jouki and Tei Oishi on September 13th 1927 passed way early Saturday morning June 22, 2024. In addition to the required grammar and middle school she attended two years of business school. She worked for a local school board and later at an American base in Tokyo where she met her husband, William B. Desnoes. Their marriage was recorded in the Japanese census registry as well as at the American Embassy in Tokyo, on July 5th 1962. She accompanied her husband to the U.S., when he finished his contract with the base as an electrical technician, and they were admitted in the country on April 23, 1963. Soon after, Bill began working as an electrical engineering contractor at the Griffith Air Force Base in Rome NY. A house in Oneida became their beloved residence. Joanne continued to use her Japanese birth name, Tsunako, as her middle name, along with her baptized name as her first name; but later, she decided to use "M" as well, for her middle initial, representing her baptized name Joanne Marie. After her husband's early death, she worked for local restaurants and caterers. She was a popular server, entertaining her customers with her accented and bubbly chats. She was grateful for the local community's acceptance of her as one of their own and the many friends who supported her throughout her life, especially Mrs. Bev Noble who has been Joanne's supervisor at Dibbles and life-long friend and supporter, Ms. Christine Rurak of AmeriCu who continuously gave her timely long term financial advice, and Mr. & Mrs.Tom Griffith, her neighbor who provided her with round the clock care for two years after she fell and injured herself. She is survived by her daughter, Saeko, from her earlier marriage in Japan. Private burial will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery, Oneida, NY. Arrangements are with the Malecki Funeral Home of Sherrill. Online condolences may be sent to the maleckifuneralhome.com