Joan Wallish

There was no greater gift in the life of Joan Wallish than the family she cherished like the rarest of gems. She was a woman who embraced the notion that it is not in what we have that we find true reward, but that true happiness is found in what we share with others. Life was not without times of trial for Joan, but she faced each day with a gracious spirit and a quiet strength that carried her throughout her lifes journey. All who knew her would agree that she was truly beautiful on the inside and out, which made her a joy to be around. Life will never be the same without Joan here, but the memories she leaves behind will remain a lasting presence in the lives of many. The decade of the Roaring Twenties was primarily a prosperous one with growth and expansion in both the business and industrial sectors. As the thirties dawned in America was braced for hardship as the crash of the stock market in 1929 sent us spiraling into the depths of the Great Depression throughout the thirties. It was in February of 1930 that Wesley and Anna (Winkler) Wilcox were blessed with the birth of a baby girl on the 9th. Born in Oak Park, Illinois, located just outside of Chicago, Joan was one of twelve children born to her parents. Her older siblings included: Robert, Ruth, and Jack, while her younger siblings were: Tom, Weston, June, Gail, Margaret, Frances, Barbara, and Jay. Her father worked for the city of Oak Park while her mother worked for the phone company. Life was anything but easy for young Joan. They lived in a small home, which left her sleeping in the attic with several of her siblings. Joans father was not the nicest of people, and at one point he put two of her sisters, Margaret and Frances, up for adoption when they were just babies. When she was 15, her mother left her father and moved with many of Joans siblings to New York. However, Joan remained with her father. Love was in the air while Joan was out for a stroll one day and happened to walk in front of a gas station where she caught the attention of a young man who was working there. His name was William Wallish, and he told his buddy that he would marry that girl one day - and he was right. Joan and Bill were married on October 23, 1948, in Berwyn. The newlyweds initially lived with Bills parents, and they were soon overjoyed with the birth of their son, Robert. In 1953 their young family moved to Grand Haven, Michigan, where their family grew to include their daughter, Nancy, in 1953 and then Betty in 1964. From the moment Robert was born Joan fully immersed herself into her new role as she loved caring for her husband and children. The Wallish family moved around a bit in the Grand Haven area until they eventually moved into a house on Taylor. No matter where they called home Joan was a friendly neighbor who joined with other mothers over coffee to talk. In 1970 Joan began working as a housekeeper for Shore Haven Nursing Home. She loved her work and became close with many of the residents, and she was also well loved by the staff. Always one to be social, Joan frequently hosted co-workers for pool parties at their home. Throughout her life Joan treasured her family above all else. She remained close to her siblings, often traveling to New York for family weddings and memorable visits, too. Joan and her siblings were so thrilled to be reunited with their two adopted sisters in the 1980s. There were also regular family reunions with the Wilcox family, usually at the Twin Lake Lodge in Michigan, and apple picking adventures with Joans in-law, George and Millie. When grandchildren joined their family Joan couldnt have been happier. She took care of them whenever she could and was always more than willing to help with them in any way. Holidays were always a special time at Joans house, and of course Joan had plenty of candy around to spoil her grandchildren with as well. In addition to her family Joans life was enriched in other ways. She loved shopping in any form whether it was to the mall or local garage sales. Imagine Joans delight when her son, Bob, arranged for a trip to the Mall of America for Joan and her daughters. He made sure this trip included nothing but the best for Joan as she flew first class while her daughters flew coach and the girls were all picked up from the airport in a limousine. She also treasured her friends and spent a lot of time playing bingo with them through the years, even winning the jackpot a time or two. During their sunset years William began struggling with major health issues and although Joan cared for him as long as she was able, it was eventually necessary for him to move into a nursing home. Because this was a difficult transition for him, Joan visited him quite often for a time, but these visits later became less frequent when Bills change in demeanor made their time together more strained. Joan had her own health issues, too, including a bout with cancer. She always seemed to bounce back and still lived on her own with help from her daughter, Betty, and her niece, Mary. Joan was still able to cook for herself for many years and looked forward to the times her niece, Mary, drove her by Lake Michigan complete with a Pronto Pup. Of course a shopping trip made Joans day as well. Someone who could always find the bright side of things, kidney problems that required dialysis became an opportunity for Joan to find new friends in the staff at the dialysis clinic. It was a broken arm a couple of months ago that led to a gradual decline in Joans health from which she was unable to recover. Through the life she lived each day Joan Wallish touched so many in her own special way. She had a great sense of humor, and her devotion to her family was unmatched. Joan loved being a mother, but just may have argued that being a grandmother was her greatest reward. Joan will be greatly missed and fondly remembered. Joan Wallish died Tuesday, May 8, 2012. Joans family includes her son, Robert Wallish of CA; daughters, Nancy Wallish of Jenison, Betty (Tim) Strom of Grand Haven; grandchildren, Laura & Leslie Mieczkowski, Anna & Adam Strom; brothers, Tom Wilcox of MO, Jack Wilcox of AZ, Jay Wilcox of FL; sisters, Barbara Hall of NY, Margaret Hamm of SC, Frances of FL. She was preceded in death by her husband William in 2011, 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Services will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012, 1:00 p.m. with visitation 1 hour prior to the service at the Clock Chapel-Grand Haven. Interment at Lakeshore Cemetery. MEMORIAL: American Cancer Society. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory.