Joy Grace (Preston) Demidovich

Joy Demidovich, age 87, passed away Friday, November 24, 2023, while receiving care at Lutheran Hospital in Ft. Wayne.

Joy was born to Berniece (Stetler) Young of Van Wert and Russell Preston of Montezuma.

She graduated from Van Wert High School and The Ohio State University, where she met her husband, Carl. In the early years of their marriage, Joy and Carl lived in Illinois, Okinawa, Japan, and Washington DC, while Carl was an officer in the US Air Force. In 1965 they returned to Van Wert to raise their family. She was a teacher with Van Wert city schools at Horace Mann Elementary for many years before retiring, and a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Joy is survived by her husband Carl; son, Carl (Libby) Demidovich; daughters, Jill (Kent) Smelser and Lindsay Demidovich, and a brother, Robert (Sue) Young.

Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren include Kyle (Taylor) Smelser, Beckham, Bennet and Jamison, of Springboro; Katie (Kit) Fortescue, Archie and Josie, of Brandon, Florida; Morgan (Jacob)Triplett, Palmer, Boone, and Poppy of Celina; Michael (Mikha) Smelser, Canoga Park, California; Chelsea (Mike) Schweid, Hamden and Maelyn, of Denver, Colorado; Casey (Alissa) Hill, Ruby and Sven, of Oak Creek, Colorado; Zach (Wendy) Hill, Juliette and Aiven of Thornton, Colorado; Alexander (Eileen) Demidovich, and Nolan of Manhattan, New York; Tessa (Rafael) del Gallego, Kalina and Luna of Denver, Colorado; Ivan (Sharelle) Demidovich, Eliyanah, of Denver, Colorado, and Alex (Julie) Wathen, Luca and Cleo, Lyon, of France.

Joy was preceded in death by her infant son Michael, beloved mother Berniece and step-father Harley Young, and brother Charles Young.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, November 30, at Brickner Funeral Home, Van Wert. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Van Wert, preceded by viewing at the church starting at 10 a.m.