Funeral Details

Josiane Valerie Saltoun was admired by so many for her strength, perseverance, and optimism throughout her life. Josiane’s magnetic smile and hearty laugh brightened the lives of her family, friends, and colleagues. Born on December 14, 1965, in the suburbs of Chicago, she passed away peacefully in her home in Chicago on November 8, 2024.

Josiane graduated from Knox College ‘89 and then obtained a degree in hospitality and culinary arts from the prestigious Glion School of Higher Education in Switzerland. She focused her early professional life in the hospitality industry in France and the U.S., earning membership in the exclusive Clef D’Or Society. Later, Josiane found great joy in caring for children in the Wilmette Public Schools and at the Lycée Français de Chicago, where she used her fluent French.

Josiane was passionate about baking, loving nothing more than bestowing freshly baked cookies and cakes on her family and friends. She was famous for her sweet potato muffins every Thanksgiving. She loved to travel and regaled her family with her adventures. She took time and care to keep in touch with her family and the friends she made along the way. It was not unusual to find her on the phone with a friend in another country. Josiane loved and was loved by everyone who knew her. Most of all she adored her nieces and nephews who loved their Aunt Josie right back.

Josiane’s life was not easy. At the age of four she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. With medical treatment at the National Institute of Health, following a new protocol developed at St. Jude’s, she courageously battled for several years eventually becoming one of the first children to survive this disease.

Nonetheless, the effects of the disease and treatments remained serious health challenges for her throughout her life. Never one to backdown, Josiane confronted each obstacle with conviction, bravery, renewed energy, and positivity. She loved life. Her easy smile radiated, and a twinkle rarely left her eyes. Josiane’s relentless courage never failed to inspire those around her.

Josiane’s memory is cherished by her loving mother, Francine Saltoun, her sisters, Diane (Bruce Braun) and Carol (Tim Calkins), her nieces and nephews, Natalie, Claire, Charlie, Daniel, and Anna and her many relatives and friends around the world. She is beloved by her late father, Andre, and nephew, Thomas. May her memory be a blessing.

Service Friday, November 15, 2024, 2PM, Temple Sholom of Chicago, 3480 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago 60657. Interment Graceland Cemetery, 4001 N. Clark Street, Chicago 60630. Contributions in Josiane’s memory may be made: Northwestern Memorial Foundation, donations may be made online at nm.org/JosianeValerieSaltoun, or sent to P.O. Box 734985, Chicago, Illinois 60673-4985 (please put Josiane Saltoun in the memo line) or over the phone at (833) 443-8663. Gifts in memory of Josiane will support the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern Medicine. or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, fundraising.stjude.org/goto/Josiane. Gifts in memory of Josiane will support St. Jude’s research. To attend the funeral livestream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com