Obituary of Joanne M. Labs

Joanne Marie Labs, a lifelong Stamford resident, passed peacefully November 12th.

Joanne was born in 1959 to Mario and Gloria Rose Improta, from whom she learned the value of family and friends and hard work.

In 1988 Joanne took a job at Penton Publishing as circulation marketing manager for Progressive Architecture Magazine where she met her late husband Kenneth B. Labs, a senior editor at the publication.

Later Joanne took a chance on a lifelong dream and pursued a license as a cosmetologist ultimately going into business for herself in 2008. She found time for other interests including working with clients at Ideal Tile to renovate rooms in their homes. She also found time to help various people in her life and in her community, like Kids in Crisis, where she arranged for a group of girls to have a “day of beauty” at the salon. Other children in her life can tell you she had a special connection with them, cheering them in their accomplishments and immersing herself in what mattered to them in their day-to-day lives.

Always thinking about others, Joanne wanted to share this note of gratitude at this time:

“Thank you to all who have brought me joy, friendship, and love before my diagnosis and during my illness.  I found out in May of 2021 that I had small cell lung cancer and I battled it until I couldn't any longer.

Thank you to all who helped me with my fight and supported my efforts to live the happiest possible life during that fight. I learned through this process that I had earned the love and respect of friends and family members, who seemed to come out of the woodwork reminding me of special times and offering the special support I’ve needed on this journey.

Thank you especially to those who made special efforts to be around me during my most difficult days.”  

Joanne leaves behind her beloved nephews Jonathan Szeligowski, David Szeligowski, Ryan Gold, and Noah Gold. She also leaves her sisters Micki Szeligowski (Ray) and Lisa Gold (Kerry), her cousin John Fasoli  (Gretchen), Valerie Bonaiuto (Jake) as well as many other cousins and second cousins. She also leaves behind her nephew Jonathan Labs and his parents Nancy and Wayne, her late husband Ken’s brother.

There will be calling hours on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Thomas M. Gallagher funeral home located at 104 Myrtle Ave, Stamford, CT.  Joanne will be buried privately at a future date with her late husband Kenneth Labs in Mechanicsville, PA.