Obituary of Joan Andersen

Mary Joan Andersen was born April 2011, 1925 in Dixon, Illinois to David and Hazel Fane(Duffy). She was welcomed home by her brother Joseph Marvin. Her father died when she was three months old, so was raised by her mother and maternal grandparents. Joan went to parochial school through the 8th grade and then attended Dixon High School, graduating in 1942. During her school years she worked at Lafevers grocery store, but when it closed during World War II, she worked in a local bank. When the war ended she went back to work in the grocery store and one of her favorite customers John and Ella Petersen often said she should meet their grandson from Colorado. It was love at first sight when she saw the tall slender man and they were married a year later on January 17, 1948 and made their way home to Genoa. Don and Joan built a house on the family homestead and prepared to start a family, Robert (Bob) arrived in February 1955, and Penelope (Penny) in June 1958. Joan was a member of the Union Women’s Club from the time she married until it disbanded. Joan was lifelong member of the Genoa American Legion Auxiliary receiving her 50 year pin. She was also a member of the Our Lady of Victory Ladies Sodality. Joan always enjoyed card games of all kinds, playing in different card clubs over the years. She also enjoyed bowling for many years on a team that included her sister in law Shirley Andersen and daughter Penny, and made many friends there. In the summer months she always enjoyed going to yard sales and in the winter, weekly bingo games. Joan followed her children all over Eastern Colorado throughout their school years in all their activities; they were very much the center of her life in those years. After the children left home Don and Joan traveled some, but health problems prevented doing that as much as they would have wanted. Robert married Mary Rudder in June, 1978. Penny and Neal Ewing were married in 1980, and their son Jacob was born July, 1986. In 1999, Don died of a ruptured aneurysm and Joan’s life changed forever. She tried to stay on the farm as long as possible, but health problems forced the move to the Bee Hive in 2005 and then Car1asCluster Care in 2010. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 51 years, Donald, and numerous other family members. She will be dearly missed by family and friends.