Joanne Angela Abbondondola-Butcher, 72, of Mission Viejo, California, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on Friday, August 8, 2025. She died from cancer.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 20, 1952, to Carmine and Angela Abbondondola, Joanne was the eldest of five siblings. The family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, where she was raised. She attended Thousand Oaks High School before beginning her undergraduate studies at Moorpark Community College. Her passion for learning led her to the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.

Joanne's career as a chemical engineer was marked by brilliance and resilience in a male-dominated industry. She moved to Niagara Falls following a career opportunity with Union Carbide where she then went back to school, receiving her MBA at Niagra University. Later in life, she returned to California to be closer to family, where she met the love of her life, Bradford Butcher, back in her hometown of Thousand Oaks.

Their families had known each other since Joanne and Bradford were in elementary school together and the pair sat next to each other throughout the schooling years. Joanne's brother, Joseph, played on Bradford's little league team, coached by Bradford's father and cheered on by Joanne's mother as the team mom. When both returned home in their mid-30s, they had a chance run-in at the local Hungry Hunter and despite Joanne being the scholastic brainiac and Bradford being the easy-going jock, they fell in love. They were married on July 25, 1992, in their hometown of Thousand Oaks, California. They settled in Vista, California, and together raised their two daughters, Marianne and Roxanne, creating a beautiful life together in San Diego.

When her passion for learning kicked back in, she returned to school and received her Masters in Chemical Engineering at University of San Diego. When both girls were in high school, she continued her education and achieved her goal of earning a Ph.D. in Chemical and Material Physics from the University of California, Irvine. With her top security clearance and extensive experience, she worked on government military defense projects at General Atomics in San Diego. She also shared her love for science by teaching college courses at Palomar College and California State University, San Marcos, inspiring younger generations.

Joanne's life was defined by her unwavering faith and devotion to the Catholic Church. She was a dedicated member of her church, attending services every Sunday, confession every Saturday, and bible studies throughout the week. Her mornings began with reading her devotional and praying for her family, friends, and those in need. Her generosity extended to the less fortunate, as she would often provide food and help with soup kitchens and donations.

She lived an active life, enjoying tennis, swimming, and workout classes. Joanne was also a talented and passionate quilter, creating beautiful masterpieces that she handed down to her daughters, family, and friends. She loved to dance and was known to break out a move whenever she heard music. Her daughters fondly remember the world being her dancefloor, regardless of who was watching.

Joanne is survived by her loving husband, Bradford Butcher of Vista, California. She leaves behind her daughters, Marianne Shallop and her husband Taylor of Simi Valley, California, and Roxanne Pugmire and her husband Cole of Vista, California. She was a proud nonna to Logan and Reagan Shallop of Simi Valley, California. She is also survived by her siblings, Roseanne Costello of Mission Viejo, California, and Carmen Rowan of Fountain Valley, California. She was loved by her brother-in-laws Steve Costello and Michael Rowan, as well as her nephews, Micheal, Kyle and Matthew Rowan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carmine Abbondondola and Angela Abbondondola , and her siblings, Marianne Abbondondola and Joseph Abbondondola.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paschal Baylon Church in Thousand Oaks, California. Following the mass, Joanne will be laid to rest at 1:00 p.m. at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, California.