Susan "Joelle" Dunrovich

Susan “Joelle” Dunrovich, passed away suddenly on December 16, 2021, at her home in Bayonne, NJ.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, NJ on Wednesday, December 22 from 4 to 7 p.m.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny on Thursday, December 23 at 1:00 p.m. Cremation will be private.

Susan was born and raised in Kearny. At age 20, she headed off to New York City in pursuit of her career as an illustrious hairstylist and lived there for many years, before moving to Morristown, NJ.  Most recently Susan lived on the Jersey City Waterfront for 10 years, moving to Bayonne two years ago.

Susan’s passion was hairstyling and cosmetology from a very young age. She was known to her clients as “Joelle”.  Joelle was trained at the Robert Fiance School of Hair Design, Jean Louis David Salon at Henri Bendel’s, then studied under Bruno Dessange in Paris, and was one of his original stylists when he opened in New York City. While she served as Creative Director of the Oribe Salon on Fifth Avenue in New York City, Joelle styled hair at fashion shows in Milan, Paris, and New York City, including Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, and more. Joelle was the first female hairstylist to style the cover of Cosmopolitan with Claudia Schiffer and famed photographer Francesco Scavullo. Vogue, Allure, GQ, Glamour, Instyle, and Marie Claire have all featured Joelle and her work.  She was known and revered for her artistry, warmth, understanding, empathy, and humor.  Her clients were not only considered her clients, Joelle endeared them and their families and they became adoring lifelong friends.

Susan enjoyed creating beauty and elegance in everything and everyone she touched and lived a beautiful, exciting life traveling the world extensively.  We are all very blessed to have known and loved Susan “Joelle” and have her be a special part of our lives.  She was a special woman who always put others above herself and cared so very much for children and the empowerment of women, which was exemplified by the many charitable deeds she did both personally and professionally.  Her family was everything to her.

She leaves behind her parents, John and Marion (Myles) Dunrovich, her sister, Marion, and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She was predeceased by her two brothers, John “Jackie” and James “Jimmy” Dunrovich. 

We pray Susan is in another wonderful place, traveling the universe, continuing being the beautiful person she is, enjoying love and light and joyfulness.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Susan's memory to Locks of Love (locksoflove.org) or to Susan G. Komen (komen.org).

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