JoAnne Perigo Fiscus

JoAnne Perigo Fiscus was born on May 11, 1953, to Joseph W Perigo, SR and Margaret Mary Rittman Perigo in Terre Haute, Indiana.

She married Bruce Wayne Fiscus of Crown Point, Indiana on May 18, 1974

JoAnne was a 1971 graduate of Schulte High School. She graduated from Indiana State University with a bachelor's degree in art education in 1975 and a master’s degree in art education in 1979. JoAnne began work in the Vigo County School Corporation as an art teacher at Sarah Scott Junior High School in 1975 and continued her career at West Vigo Middle School in 1976, moving to Woodrow Wilson Middle School in 1991. She continued to teach at Woodrow Wilson Middle School until her retirement at the close of school in 2010.

After her retirement in 2010, she continued to share her love of art through teaching. She taught classes at Community School of Art, Gaslight Art Colony and as an adjunct professor in art education at Indiana State University for a semester.

JoAnne also shared her talents by involvement in community art projects in the Terre Haute area. She was one of several members of the Wabash Valley Art Guild who worked on a community display of painted Sycamore leaves in a Walk Through the Sycamores sponsored by Indiana State University. She, along with two other artists, painted two colts for the Swope Art Museum sponsored Horsing Around Terre Haute. She assisted in the painting of the litte cars for Clabber Girl. She also painted a Coke bottle for the Historical Museum, with Tribune Star as a sponsor.

She also completed two large projects, including Watermark Landing at Fairbanks Park and Solar Sycamore at 11th and Chestnut Street, working with the Watermark Artist Collective.

Through a grant JoAnne wrote a curriculum for School of the Arts encouraging reading through study of the visual arts and for three years implemented the program at Meadows Elementary School.

The past fall and summer JoAnne and her sister completed the traffic box at 6th and Cherry Street entitled “Whatever you do today, do it with the enthusiasm of a four-year-old in a Batman shirt”

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Joseph W Perigo, JR.  She is survived by her loving husband of 50+ years, her sons Zachary (Alisha) and Joshua (Angie), grandsons Korben, Duncan, Levi and Coltin.

She is also survived by her siblings Mary Schafer (Dan); Barbara Dreher; Wayne (Jenny) Perigo; Richard Perigo; sister-in-law Donna; sister-in-law Kim and mother-in-law Maxine Fiscus.

Also surviving is her special cousin Rebecca Jackson and her God Daughter Caroline Artigue. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to her ever-widening circle of friends who were her cheerleaders during this difficult journey. Also, to Dr. Kunapareddy and Staff as well as the nurses in the fusion room at Hux Cancer Center.

In Lieu of flowers may we suggest donations to one of the following: Arts Illiana, Swope Art Museum, or the Community School of the Arts at Indiana State University.

On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, visitation will be at the funeral home from 6:00p.m. until 8:00p.m.  On Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 10:00p.m., there will be a Memorial Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, 2322 N 13 1/2 Street, Terre Haute, Indiana 47804. 

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