Joan F. Andersen, 85

Joan F. Andersen, 85, of Hayden, Idaho, went to be with her Lord, Savior and Friend Jesus Christ. She was born to Dorothy and Everett Davis of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1930.

If you knew Joan-ee, like we knew Joan-ee. Oh! Oh! Oh! What a gal!

And if you knew her, you won’t be surprised to know she’s in heaven dancing in her 3-inch heels, singing ‘Hallelujah’ (with a rose clenched tightly in her teeth), praising the Lord! or wearin’ her boots and jeans, with her weed-whacker slung over her shoulder, ridin’ on her tractor patrolling to make sure there are no weeds in heaven.

Oh! What a gorgeous, vibrant, loving, giving and talented woman. A ‘true’ redhead (took pride that she never dyed or permed her beautiful red hair). Her intelligence, personality, and artistic gifts made her an award winning advertising sales rep of many newspapers in Northern and Southern California and North Idaho. She semi-retired around 1983 in Naples, Idaho, where she took care of her beautiful ranch and created many wonderful memories for us all. Her greatest passion was always to bring joy to others with her hospitality, her singing and silliness, it didn’t matter to her if everyone was laughing with her or at her, just as long as we were all laughing!

Oh! What a caregiver she was, as she cared for her mother who was paralyzed by a stroke and couldn’t walk the last 27 years of her life, she cared for her mother’s twin sister until she was 95 and two husbands that were stricken with cancers.

Oh! What a gal, Oh! What a mom of six, Oh! What a grandma of 26, a great-grandma of 31, a great-great-grandma of two, a sister, an aunt, a cousin. And oh! What a friend to so many!

She is survived by her children, Cindi (Karl) Stoeckert of Hayden, Sandi (Jimmy) Nelson-Zamorano of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Dennis Williamson of Coeur d’Alene, Robyn (Bob) Rogers of Naples, Michele Zeller (Gord McLaughlin) of Canada; stepsons Tim (Janet) Fairman of Redmond, Wash., Gary (Leslie) Andersen of Minden, Nev., and Jim (Carla) Andersen of Coeur d’Alene.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Arthur Andersen; her brother, Bob Davis; her darling daughter, Jodi Ortiz and precious grandson, Kyle Williamson.

Oh! Oh! How she will be missed!