Joan Ann Webb

Joan A. Webb, 86, of Grand Junction, Iowa, entered into rest on Saturday, January 9, 2021 at her daughter Nancy’s home in Clear Lake, Iowa.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2021 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ogden, Iowa. Father Ross Caniglia will officiate. Masking and social distancing will be observed. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Boone. A visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ogden. Please go to Carson-Stapp Funeral Home facebook page for livestreaming of Joan’s Funeral Mass.

Joan Ann Webb, daughter of John William, and Pauline Elizabeth “Peg” (Koncher) Duncan was born in Boone, Iowa on March 6, 1934, the first of three daughters, and began her life in West Boone. Her family lived in Boone for all her youth, moving to various houses as circumstances prevailed and they were a close “knit” family. Her dad was a butcher for most of his adult life, her mom was a neighborhood champion, neighbors came for coffee often, and she was always ready to give to friends, to help in all kinds of situations. Joan easily picked up these same traits and she was known for her loving, open, supportive relationships with all whom she met and many whom she was honored to call friends. Family always knew her for her infectious smile and warm hugs and free flowing love whatever the circumstance that life presented.

Joan worked at the local upscaled dress shop while in high school and for a time after. Joan graduated from Boone High School in 1951. She then graduated from Boone Junior College (currently DMACC) in 1953. After her youngest child had gone away to college, Joan enrolled at Iowa State and completed all but 16 credit hours towards her bachelor’s degree. Joan was always a lifelong learner and was not going to let her age keep her from pursuing a new goal.

Joan married James Francis Webb (Jim) on September 14, 1953, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Boone, Iowa. Next, they moved to the farm East of Boone that is now known as the Iowa State Agronomy Farm. Joan began her life there as a farmer, wife, and mother. She quickly adapted to her new way of life with vigor and excitement to learn. ISU bought that farm and Joan and Jim and family moved to “the home place” farm (Grand Junction, Iowa) in 1960. In 1984, Joan started working out of the home, in State Government. First at the Department of Revenue and Finance, in Des Moines, Iowa as a revenue clerk, and then transferred to the Department of Transportation, in Ames, Iowa, as a payroll technician, and then as a drafting technician. Joan retired from State Government in 1995.

Joan became a part of the Grand Junction community very intently, always involved in the Catholic Church, St. Bridget’s. She was very instrumental in the planning of and construction progress of the new St. Bridget’s community center. It was here that she and Jim celebrated, with many friends and family, their 25th wedding anniversary. They also celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries with beloved family and dear friends. She was highly involved with the Catholic Daughters’ organization and became the Commission Head, for Organization, in 1972. This eventually led to Joan becoming Grand Regent of the South-Central Deanery, Diocese of Sioux City. Joan was also President of the Womens’ Circle and held other leadership positions with Council of Catholic Women. In the bicentennial year of 1976, she traveled nationally to present 138 large crowd lectures on the history of religion and the Catholic Church. Joan and her daughter enjoyed celebrating the Holy Year 1975 with a pilgrimage to the Central Region of Italy, from Assisi to Rome to Naples.

Joan was incredibly involved in local and State politics and was an active member of the Greene County Democrats, and you would always find her organizing and providing leadership at the polls during all elections. She played a major role in the campaigning and eventual election of a classmate and dear friend to the Iowa House of Representative, for the 44th district of Iowa, from 1975 – 1987. Joan was a member of the Greene County Crime Commission for several years, working to understand and change the influence as illegal subsentences moved into the county. She worked for a better and just future in all that she did.

Additional involvement and volunteer activities focused on her three children, Tim, Nick, and Nancy; from FFA and livestock shows, or 4-H and church catechism instructor, to all the various sports, music and drama activities and class parental supports needed with the school.

Joan enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and all that they are involved in. She always had encouraging words of support towards their education and/or college and their dreams. Joan loved to host family gatherings and show her love to all her family through beautifully set tables and heavenly meals. Doing this gave her so much joy and you never left hungry or thirsty. Joan in Hebrew means “God’s Gracious Joy.” She orchestrated the 2019 family Christmas meal as was her determination, with deep love and affection.

Joan was an avid reader; she could read up to five or more books a week. She was also a beautiful artist, her works included oil painting, sketching, calligraphy, ceramics, and the most beautiful handwriting displayed in her letters and notes. Joan enjoyed spending time in the outdoors, she was an avid bird watcher and loved all things green and growing. Joan became a Master Garden through ISU Extension, and as everyone could see her happiness spilled over into her gardens, whether in flowerpots or in her large ground plots, this was her “heaven on earth.”

Joan moved from her “Home Place” farm to North Boone in 2016 and lived with her youngest sister Fran until moving to Clear Lake to live with her daughter in November of 2020.

Joan is preceded in death by her husband of 61 ½ years, Jim; her parents, John, and Peg Duncan, who were married 36 years; middle sister, Colleen P. (Duncan) Jensen; grandparents, George, and Rebecca (Kincaid) Duncan, Joseph, and Pauline (Starich) Koncher.

Survivors include two sons, Timothy James Webb of Jefferson, Iowa and Nicholas John Webb of Jefferson, Iowa; one daughter, Nancy Jill Webb of Des Moines, Iowa; four grandchildren, Tom Webb and wife Laura, Tina (Webb) Mobley, Jesse WebbMausbach, and Danni WebbMausbach; eight great grandchildren, Colton, Madison, Kate, Truman, Sawyer, Grady, Leo and Lilee; one sister, Francese C. (Duncan) Meneough, of Boone, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins and many dear friends.

Memorials may be left to Joan’s favorite charity organization in lieu of flowers, St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain, SD, in care of Father Anthony Kluckman, SCJ Chaplain. Go to www.stjo.org/flowers Father Anthony was one of the Religious Leaders that accompanied Joan’s tour group on the 1975 Holy Year Pilgrimage to Italy. Joan and Father Kluckman have remained lifelong friends.