Joan Margaret Barker Collodi, 93, of Taylorville, IL released her spirit at 4:55 am Friday, April 14, 2023 at Taylorville Memorial Hospital. She was born August 10, 1929 in New Bedford, MA the daughter of George Barker and Agnes Dennet Barker.
Joan began the first years of her life living one block from both her paternal and maternal grandparents in a beachside community of New Bedford. As a young girl she would spend each day on the beach where swimming came as natural to her as walking. Joan’s father relocated the family to the St. Louis area while Joan was in fourth grade. She attending primary and secondary school in Collinsville, IL traveling back to New Bedford to spend the summers with her grandmother Barker.
On February 2, 1968 she married George Collodi in Las Vegas, NV.
As a lifelong learner Joan earned numerous degrees, graduating summa cum laude from St Louis University, St. Louis, MO with a bachelor’s in English Literature, followed up with an abd PhD in French Literature. Joan later enrolled at Sangamon State University, Springfield, IL where she studied Law then continuing on to receive her Masters in Human Development Counseling in 1990.
Joan’s occupational life was almost as colorful as she was. She was employed in a variety of occupations including professor at her Alma mater SSU. She and husband George were the owner operators of a local Taylorville restaurant, the Glass Key. However, Joan’s heart and soul were in her work as a counselor at Christian County Mental Health Taylorville until her retirement in 2017 at age 87. Joan said it took a while, but she finally found her life’s calling.
Joan had an adventurous spirit, traveling to 46 countries. She loved to share stories of travel, including a trip up Mt Kilimanjaro on the back of an elephant, kissing the Blarney Stone, touring the Great Pyramids and an overnight visit in an indigenous village. But her favorite vacation trip involved staying in the Treetops in Kenya. Joan was passionate about the care of animals.

Joan is survived by her two children, Christian D. Collodi of Taylorville, IL and David J. (Deborah) Collodi of Palm Beach, FL; one grandchild, Ty Roachford of Palm Beach, FL; her brother David Barker (Susan Wegner), of St. Louis, MO and several nieces and nephews. Joan was preceded in death by her husband George, parents George and Agnes (Dennet) Barker, siblings Fred Barker, and Jane Barker Meinert.

A date is pending for a Requiem Mass, to be held at St. Mary’s Parish, Taylorville, IL. A celebration of life service will be held at Unity of Springfield where Joan was an active member for a number of years including serving on the board. McClure Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Taylorville is assisting the family with arrangements.

It is evident that Joan loved everyone, after spending time with her you went away feeling better about yourself. Memorials may be made to Humane Society of the United States or Unity of Springfield.