Joanne Loch, director of finance and administration for the UNMC Office of Academic Affairs, died Jan. 6 at the age of 42 after a two-year battle with cancer.
Memorial service
A memorial visitation will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, with a service following at 3 p.m., at John A. Gentleman Bellevue Chapel, 3402 Samson Way, Bellevue, Nebraska. In lieu of flowers, the family will be donating in Loch’s memory to a charity yet to be named.
“Joanne will be remembered for her kindness, determination, joy and courage,” said Dele Davies, MD, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We all were touched by her in many ways as a co-worker and friend. She was a strong, often behind-the-scenes, backbone of Academic Affairs, always ready to lend a hand and dive in to solve complex issues for other units. She will be greatly missed.”
Loch joined UNMC in 2012 as a financial budget analyst and accepted the director of finance and administration in academic affairs in 2017.
“Joanne was a very gracious, supportive, caring person and one of the strongest people I have ever known,” said Tammy Post, accounting associate with UNMC Academic Services. “She was always upbeat, even when she was having a really hard day. Joanne was great at her role as a director in academic affairs. She always had time to answer a question, explain a new process, or work with you to solve an issue. I will miss Joanne as a colleague and friend.”
Born in Sacramento, California, Loch graduated from Bryan High School, earned her BSBA degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and her MBA from Bellevue University.
“Joanne’s door was always open, and she always had a smile. She was encouraging and would do what she could to help in any situation,” said Sue Welch, coordinator, UNMC Academic Services. “She was so strong and never lost hope. I will miss her smile, encouraging words, her friendship and the lunches that we shared on her porch.”
Read Loch’s full obituary here.
“I only knew Joanne for a relatively short period of time but I felt like I had known her for a long time; she had that type of personality,” said Linda Merriman, coordinator with UNMC Academic Services. “She was always upbeat and positive, even when I knew she was in pain. I am deeply saddened, and I will miss her very much.”
UNMC friends are invited to share memories of Loch in the comments section below.
Joanne was one of those rare individuals you encounter in your life who make an immediate impact. She was warm, caring, incredibly smart, funny, positive, and always willing to listen. I feel fortunate to have known and worked with her. Her grace is not something I will ever forget.
Joanne will be remembered for her outgoing personality, her wonderful laughter, and those special 'Joanne' touches. I will miss so much about my friend.
Joanne was dear to me; she helped me so much in my job and was so kind as a person. She was always so positive even when she was struggling. She will be deeply missed.
Joanne was as smart as she was kind. She was as funny as she was wise. She always did whatever she could to help others, and was endlessly positive. She will be missed by so, so many.
Joanne immediately felt like someone you could count on and trust, even if you had just met. She had an understanding nature, a kindness, and an intelligence that really shone through. She'll be very missed.
I am so very sorry to hear this. My condolences to her family. Every time I had worked with Joanne she was helpful, friendly, and a great resource. My hear goes out to the team in Academic Affairs on the loss of your colleague.
Joanne saw the world differently than other people. She made a conscious decision to embrace the light in life instead of darkness. She saw the glass as half full. I will always remember the example she provided. She worked hard and pushed through tough times with determination. Joanne was forgiving, loyal, selfless, and left others feeling better about themselves after every interaction. She was a beam of sunshine to a world that is so thirsty for light.
Outside of being an outstanding co-worker and colleague, Joanne was a wonderful friend. I will be forever inspired by her strength and positivity. She is so missed.
Joanne was such an amazing colleague and friend. There is so much I appreciate and admire about her-and something that stands out is the way she met the difficult days and challenges with such grace, determination, and positivity. She is missed so very much.
Joanne was one of the kindest and most selfless individuals I've ever had the opportunity to meet. The kindness and positivity she showed every day will remain unmatched. She was a special person and will be missed by many.
Joanne and I connected right away! We could and did talk about any and everything. I appreciated that we could both show up as our genuine selves no matter the circumstance. She also gave the BEST fashion advice, hands down. She will be missed deeply.
I miss Joanne. I miss her willingness to help me. I miss her positive attitude. I miss our conversations about beer 🙂 I feel lucky to have gotten to know her.
I am saddened to hear. A wonderful, dedicated and thoughtful lady who touched all of us who worked in Academic Affairs, making our jobs easier. Despite her personal challenges, she always smiled.
Joanne was a wonderful colleague and team player! Working with her was a pleasure and I will miss her.
Joanne always had a positive word to say and can do attitude. She was smart, a forward thinking team player, a good listener, and selfless. I miss her and I am blessed to have worked with her and know her as a colleague and friend.
Joanne was great, we loved to talk about cooking and traded recipes. She always had a smile and would laugh with me.
Joanne was really special and I will miss her. May God Bless her family through this difficult time.
I am so saddened to learn of Joanne's passing. She was an incredible manager, mentor, and friend. Her ability to lift you up and help you see your own gifts was a blessing to all that knew her. I will forever remember our deep conversations around leadership, family, and friendship. Though the time we had together was brief, I will never forget the impact she had on me professionally and personally. And I will bet I am not alone – that is how amazing she was. May we all be blessed enough to know someone as genuinely incredible as Joanne.