Joan Langfritz

Joan (nee Karasek) Langfritz a devoted Catholic passed away November 18th, 2017 at 79. Joan was born at Good Sam Hospital June 2, 1938, the only child of Rudolph and Ann (nee Barry) Karasek.   Her father immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio when he was 12 years old from Austria. Her mother was born and raised in Maysville, Kentucky. Ann taught school in Cincinnati. Joan grew up in Cincinnati and Covington, Ky. She was a devoted daughter who helped her parents buy their first car and television.   She attended St. Ursula Academy Secondary School class of 1956 in Cincinnati followed by Good Samaritan nursing school class of 1960, she worked as a nurse for almost 50 years.   She married Fred Langfritz Nov 23, 1960. According to our Aunt, our parents got into an argument and mom moved to San Diego. Dad wrote many love letters and finally drove out to California to win her back. They married at the courthouse steps. They were married 45 years until Dad passed away in 2006.   They had four children: Bruce, Mark, Pam and finally Debbie the caboose ten years later. They raised their family at 9020 Lynn Ave.  Our parents loved getting to know our friends. Our fondest memories include swimming in our pool, trips to Cumberland to go boating and of course the river. I can still hear Mark cheer when my mom learned to water ski at 50 years old. She loved her waverunner and traveling the country. She loved to read and ride roller coasters. We felt we were the luckiest kids on Earth because she bought a pass to Kings Island the very first day it opened in 1972. After it would rain she would find me and say, “Hey it rained I bet there are no lines at Kings Island!” and off we went. The Beast and the Flying Eagles were her favorite rides! Her love of the ocean and being warm led them to move to Florida in 1997. She loved Florida.   Losing Pam, Chelsie then Fred was very hard on her and our family. But it has given us great comfort to know that they were all there to greet her. We know it had to be an amazing reunion.   Joan is survived by: three of her children, Bruce Langfritz of Fort Myers, FL, Mark (Debbie )Langfritz of Mason, OH, and Debra (Gordon) Rust of Draper, UT; and her grandchildren, Chandler, Skye and Kalob.   Joan was preceded in death by: husband, Fred Langfritz; daughter, Pam Langfritz; and granddaughter, Chelsie Ast. Visitation will be held Saturday, November 25, 2017 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 9080 Cincinnati Dayton Road, West Chester, Ohio 45069. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM at St. John’s. Interment will immediately follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.       Gone From My Sight   I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.   I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone." Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side.   And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.   And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone," there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" And that is dying... To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joan Langfritz, please visit our flower store.