Grandma Joan has left for her final, big trip. She had a love of travel, nicknaming herself The Gypsy. After a life time of hard work (this tiny person was a juvenile probation office on the rough side of Sioux City) and showing love to a houseful of kids who desperately needed her care, she spent as much of her retirement as she could on the road.
Joan would zig zag across the country, going to stay and visit with all of her far flung family. Terry would take her on exciting trips to Alaska, Hawaii, and on a Mississippi River boat including Joan’s sisters too. No matter who she was with, she never ran out of conversations and loved to tell stories.
She always had a smile a listening ear for all of us. This woman was an ideal grandma, never forgetting a birthday, holiday, and never turning down a request go to the playground with grandkids.
Joan walked miles every day and loved to dance, especially at family get togethers when a polka was played.
Most of all, she was kind. That teeny, little person had a giant heart. When I joined her family with my two rambunctious boys, she took them under her wing and they became her family right away, no matter how much of a handful they were. She made all three of us feel like we belonged and she spent endless hours at playgrounds, bouncing on her tippy toes in the pool, and reading books to them. She took them to Sunday School and out for donuts on a stick afterwards years before I married her son.
My sons loved her and it gives me comfort to know Ryan is with her now someplace together, on her last journey.
My sincere condolences.
Posted by: Ellen Bailey | September 10, 2022 at 11:50 PM