Joan Kotrady Obituary

Joan Esther Venuti Kotrady, age 88, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, formerly of Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey, passed away March 8, 2026, the 111th anniversary of her father's birth. Joan was born and raised in Camden County, New Jersey and graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School. She exhibited musical prowess from an early age, focusing on the piano. She studied music and organ performance at West Chester University and the University of Delaware. After raising three sons with Don, her former husband, Joan worked in wholesale electric supply, and later, for Verizon in Delaware and Virginia. However, Joan spent most of her professional life as a church musician, mostly as a keyboardist, but also as singer and director. She served multiple congregations in diverse denominations – Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, and more – across six states. Most recently, she served the congregation of Berea Friendship United Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina, until just a few years ago.

Joan enjoyed a variety of pursuits in addition to her music, including cooking and entertaining (large gatherings were her specialty) and international travel, especially with her brother, Bill. Joan was also a patron of the visual and performing arts. She even had passing flirtations with horseback riding and teddy-bear making (though she would not have appreciated them being characterized as such). Joan routinely maintained contact with relatives, neighbors, and friends old and new. After relocating to Virginia and then to South Carolina, she spent a considerable amount of time driving up and down the East Coast to visit them.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Larry and Marian Venuti, her sister Phyllis Moore, nephews Jeffrey Moore and Douglas Moore, and by her eldest son, Donald W. Kotrady. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Michael and Lynn Kotrady of Richmond, Virginia, son and daughter-in-law David and Jeanne Kotrady of Simpsonville, South Carolina, granddaughter Jennifer K. Cull and husband Thomas Cull of Chicago, sister and brother-in-law Lauren and Ian MacGregor of Wilmington, NC, brother William Venuti of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and brother and sister-in-law David and Stacey Lanterman of Fort Mitchell, KY. Joan was also blessed to have close relationships with devoted nieces and nephews of multiple generations: Lisa, Matt and Kevin, Sandra and Richard, Janice, Daniel, Sarah, Melanie, Matthew, Melyssa, Rosemary, Jason, Jeffrey, Ashley and Scot, Ian, Tia, Teagan, and Cooper.

Joan's family wishes to thank the staff at The Springs at Simpsonville, where she lived at the time of her passing, as well as Wren Hospice. They are especially grateful to Berea Friendship Church for love and support Joan received from this congregation in recent years.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., at Berea Friendship United Methodist Church, 8001 White Horse Road, Greenville, South Carolina, 29617.

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