No headline

Joanne Sinclair, 87

Joanne Sinclair, age 87, passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her loving family, on June 21, 2018.

Joanne was born in Litchfield, Mich., on June 20, 1931, to Verald (Foote) Adams and Curtis Adams. She grew up in the Ann Arbor area and attended Ann Arbor High School, where she was a member of the varsity cheerleading team.

Joanne earned an undergraduate degree from Michigan Normal College in Ypsilanti and pursued a graduate degree at Michigan State in East Lansing, both in special education.

Following graduation, Joanne worked at the Michigan State School for the Blind. Children were always her first concern. Without any fanfare, she would quietly work individually with troubled kids, often on her own time and with her own resources.

Joanne and William “Bill” Campbell Sinclair were married on May 8, 1954, the beginning of an adventurous life together that spanned 64 years. Their travels included 30 moves in 13 years … from a lake houseboat near Kalamazoo to a log cabin in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and from Carson City, Nev., to Recife, Brazil.

Throughout her life, Joanne was well known for her many activities and interests, including longtime and committed PTA volunteer; leadership in Citizens Alert, a police support organization in Tampa; avid rock hound and later certified gemologist; president of the Tampa Bay Rock and Mineral Society and three time chairman of the nationally recognized annual rock mineral show. She was passionate about arts and crafts — knitting, sewing, stenciling, wood carving, painting, jewelry making, Sumi-E and much more.

Always and foremost among her many loves (which included a lineage of Dalmatians) was her deep and enduring love of her family. Her children and grandchildren will miss her dearly. Victoria Bea Sinclair (Tampa, Fla.); Mary Jo Sinclair (Laguna Woods, Calif.) and her daughter, Megan Margaret Eagan (Royal Oak, Mich.); William Campbell Sinclair II and his wife, Nilia Sinclair and their 6-year-old son, William Campbell Sinclair III (Athol, Idaho); Nathan Andrew Sinclair and his wife, Cindy Sinclair and their daughters, Susanna Olivia Sinclair and Charlotte Mei Sinclair (Santa Barbara, Calif.).

As nature’s inevitable disruptions led to health hardships, Joanne never lost her kindness of spirit and appreciation of family, friends and professionals who loved and cared for her. On behalf of Joanne, the family would especially like to extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Rebecca Bertsch for her exceptional compassion and competence; to the excellent staff of Kootenai Health; and to our heroes at the Timberlake Fire Protection District.

Deeply cherished by her family and friends, this sweet, loving lady slipped away on the night of her 87th year.

Memorial service for Joanne will be 3 p.m., Saturday, June 30, 2018, at English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A reception will follow the service at the funeral chapel’s reception center.

Visit Joanne’s memorial and sign her online guest book at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.