Joan was my oldest and dearest friend. She and her future husband, Bill, were the Maid-of-Honor and Best Man at my wedding in February, 1962. They were married in September of that year and, if Joan were still alive, they would have celebrated their 59th Anniversary this year.
The last time I saw Joan in person was in April, 2015. Joan and Bill moved to Knoxville, TN, a number of years ago. Bev Murray and I decided to visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and visit Joan and Bill at the same time. We drove first to Asheville and then over the mountains to Knoxville. Of course, we stayed overnight in several places, since it was a rather long ride.
Once we arrived at their home, only Joan was at home. Seems as though a couple of months earlier, Bill had a collision with an overhead garage door, which caused him to be hospitalized and have surgery on part of his brain membranes, some of which had to be removed. Evidently he was experiencing a problem and had to return to the hospital. Joan neglected to tell us that, since she thought we wouldn't come to visit, and she was right! Bev and I stayed one or two nights and left the following morning. Had a brief conversation with Bill on the phone the first night. He's had ups and downs with his misfortune and turned 84 in June and is still kicking, but I doubt that he has fully digested Joan's passing as yet.
On a brighter side, I spoke with Joan the week before she passed away about the celebration her family gave her at Mother's Day this year. She was so surprised and so happy. They have a son, Billy, and two daughters, Leigh and Cheryl, and they all have children. Billy drove down with his son and he did a lot of the cooking for their gathering. Her oldest granddaughter flew in from Colorado as a surprise. Joan said she couldn't help it, she cried!
My phone rang Memorial Day morning, May 31, and it was Bill telling me that Joan had passed away sometime after 5 a.m. I've been in touch with him numerous times since then, and he's plowing through paperwork. Joan was the outgoing person in that marriage, and she loved to belly dance and teach it too. She did that a long time ago when they still lived in Ridgefield. She met a whole group of Southern women who wanted to learn belly dancing. There was a dancehall where a lot of people would go dancing every weekend and Joan would go quite often. Bill stayed home. I'm sure a lot of her friends are missing her.
Besides dancing, Joan had a love for horses. She had two horses for a few years, but she had Jake for quite some time. Bev and I even helped groom him when we were there. He was a sweet horse, and I think one of her friends who also had horses is looking after hiim now. Jake's probably wondering where Joan went!! He was the love of her life, besides her family. The last time I spoke with Joan, she said, "I'm not ready to die" and "I don't want to die now." But, the cancer did her in!! Maybe there are some horses in "Heaven" that needed her love.
"Death is not extinguishing the light. It is putting out the candle/lamp because the dawn has come." (Rabindranath Tagore)
May you rest in peace, Joan. Sending my LOVE, Dottie
Dorothy Nelson (Bergmann)
Joan was my oldest and dearest friend. She and her future husband, Bill, were the Maid-of-Honor and Best Man at my wedding in February, 1962. They were married in September of that year and, if Joan were still alive, they would have celebrated their 59th Anniversary this year.
The last time I saw Joan in person was in April, 2015. Joan and Bill moved to Knoxville, TN, a number of years ago. Bev Murray and I decided to visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and visit Joan and Bill at the same time. We drove first to Asheville and then over the mountains to Knoxville. Of course, we stayed overnight in several places, since it was a rather long ride.
Once we arrived at their home, only Joan was at home. Seems as though a couple of months earlier, Bill had a collision with an overhead garage door, which caused him to be hospitalized and have surgery on part of his brain membranes, some of which had to be removed. Evidently he was experiencing a problem and had to return to the hospital. Joan neglected to tell us that, since she thought we wouldn't come to visit, and she was right! Bev and I stayed one or two nights and left the following morning. Had a brief conversation with Bill on the phone the first night. He's had ups and downs with his misfortune and turned 84 in June and is still kicking, but I doubt that he has fully digested Joan's passing as yet.
On a brighter side, I spoke with Joan the week before she passed away about the celebration her family gave her at Mother's Day this year. She was so surprised and so happy. They have a son, Billy, and two daughters, Leigh and Cheryl, and they all have children. Billy drove down with his son and he did a lot of the cooking for their gathering. Her oldest granddaughter flew in from Colorado as a surprise. Joan said she couldn't help it, she cried!
My phone rang Memorial Day morning, May 31, and it was Bill telling me that Joan had passed away sometime after 5 a.m. I've been in touch with him numerous times since then, and he's plowing through paperwork. Joan was the outgoing person in that marriage, and she loved to belly dance and teach it too. She did that a long time ago when they still lived in Ridgefield. She met a whole group of Southern women who wanted to learn belly dancing. There was a dancehall where a lot of people would go dancing every weekend and Joan would go quite often. Bill stayed home. I'm sure a lot of her friends are missing her.
Besides dancing, Joan had a love for horses. She had two horses for a few years, but she had Jake for quite some time. Bev and I even helped groom him when we were there. He was a sweet horse, and I think one of her friends who also had horses is looking after hiim now. Jake's probably wondering where Joan went!! He was the love of her life, besides her family. The last time I spoke with Joan, she said, "I'm not ready to die" and "I don't want to die now." But, the cancer did her in!! Maybe there are some horses in "Heaven" that needed her love.
"Death is not extinguishing the light. It is putting out the candle/lamp because the dawn has come." (Rabindranath Tagore)
May you rest in peace, Joan. Sending my LOVE, Dottie