Joanne Frieda Kelsey

OBITUARY OF JOANNE FRIEDA VERDON KELSEY JOANNE MADE HER TRANSITION FROM THIS EARTH ON APRIL 9, 2023 AT THE AGE OF 81. SHE WAS BORN ON JULY 2, 1941, IN MONROE, MICHIGAN

TO GORDON AND WINIFRED VERDON SHE LIVED IN MONROE COUNTY MICHIGAN AND ATTENDED IDA

PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CAST OF HER JUNIOR CLASS PLAY, 'WAS A MEMBER OF THE HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR FOR FOUR YEARS AND A MEMBER OF THE NTIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. JOANNE GRADUATED AS VALDICTORIAN OF HER CLASS FROM IDA HIGH SCHOOL IN 1959. SHE LOVED HER ROOTS AND RARELY MISSED A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNION. SHE WAS THE CLASS MEMORIAL HISTORIAN FOR MANY YEARS KEEPING THE CLASS UPDATED ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THEIR CLASSMATES. SHE REMAINED A MICHIGAN FARM GIRL AT HEART, THROUGH HER DAD SHE GREW TO BE A DETROIT TIGER FAN AND THE TWO OF THEM WOULD

HANG ON THE PHONE, HE IN IDA, MICHIGAN, AND SHE IN PERRYSBURG, OHIO WATCHING THE GAME TOGETHER AND TALKING BACK AND FORTH DURING THE GAME BY PHONE. SHE HAS BEEN A LIFELONG MEMBER OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WHERE SHE SANG IN THE CHURCH CHOIR, TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL, TAUGHT BIBLE SCHOOL, WORKED AT THE RUMMAGE/BAKE SALES, CHURCH NEWSPAPER, ON CHURCH COMMITTEE, AND

REPRESENTED HER CHURCH AS DELEGATE AT THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT ADRIAN COLLEGE IN MICHIGAN. THROUGH HER CHURCH SHE ALSO HOSTED HER HOME TO FOREIGN TRAVELERS FROM GERMANY TWICE AFTER TWO YEARS OF DATING, JOANNE MARRIED HER SOUL MATE, RICHARD KELSEY IN TOLEDO, OHIO ON OCTOBER 22, 1988. JOANNE LOVED SALES SO HER WORK LIFE INCLUDED SALES IN

REAL ESTATE, ALL LINES OF INSURANCE, AND MORTGAGES. SHE WAS A HOSPICE VISITING VOLUNTEER FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH HEARTLAND HOSPICE IN TOLEDO, OHIO. THROUGH HER CHURCH SHE PARTICIPATED

IN 'PATTERNING' A BRAIN DAMAGED CHILD. SHE LOVED TO KNIT AND KNITTED MEGA AMOUNTS OF SWEATERS FOR THE GUIDEPOSTS MAGAZINE. THE SWEATÉRS FOR POOR CHILDREN WERE SENT ALL OVER THE WORLD.

SHE TOOK A STAND FOR THE CHILDREN AT HER DAUGHTERS' SCHOOL AND WAS THEN ASKED TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE TO REVISE THE DRESS CODE. JOANNE ALSO WENT TO BAT AND HELPED A FRIEND CAMPAIGN

FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. SHE TAUGHT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT CLASSES AND MENTORED AN UNDERPRIVILEGED GIRL FOR THREE YEARS THROUGH THE MAUMEE ROTARY CLUB. BESIDES HER INTEREST IN HER LOVE FOR CHILDREN, JOANNE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT HER HEALTH AND RAN 5 K RACES, LOVED TO BIKE

WITH HER HUSBAND, DICK, LOVED TO FLOWER GARDEN, ENJOYED PLAYING CARDS AND WEARING HATS, OF WHICH SHE HAD OVER 65 OF THEM. SHE WAS INTERESTED IN HEALTHY FOOD NUTRITION AND

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANCER. SHE WAS AN AVID READER OF BOOKS REGARDING HEALTH. JOANNE REMAINED TRUE TO HER MICHIGAN FARM GIRLS ROOTS AND LOVE OF THE LAND AND ENJOYED FLOWER GARDENING HER WHOLE LIFE SHE ALONG WITH THE BUNNIES AND DEER HAD BIG COMPETITION

OVER HER FLOWERS. WHEN THE DEER AND BUNNIES BEGAN TO WIN, SHE HAD TO RESORT TO SILK FLOWERS. SHE HAD A LOVE FOR THE PIANO AND SO AT AGE 68 SHE BEGAN TO RE TEACH HERSELF TO PLAY THE PIANO. THEN AT AGE 69 WITH THE SUGGESTION OF HER HUSBAND, DICK, JOANNE FOUND SQUARE DANCE LESSONS FOR THE TWO OF THEM AND TOOK LESSONS. THEY BOTH ENJOYED NOT ONLY THE SQUARE DANCING BUT HAD FUN MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND TRAVELING To DANCES AND CONVENTIONS. SOME YEARS THEY WENT TO AS MANY AS 70 DANCES. JOANNE WAS IN CHARGE OF CURRENT EVENTS FOR THE CLUB MOSTLY BY EMAILING THEM AND OTHER CLUB MEMBERS. JOANNE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS. GORDON AND

WINIFRED VERDON, HUSBAND, DICK KELSEY JULY 29, 2022, SISTER JEANETTE ROBERTS

THOSE LEFT TO CHERISH HER MEMORY ARE: DAUGHTERS, ELAINE (MARK) THIEMAN OF TOLEDO, OHIO, AND ELLEN (MARTY) PIERSON OF ORMOND BEACH, FLORDIA, SISTERS JILL(ED)BURGESS, JANE VERDON, JOYCE JACKSON. ALSO SURVIVING ARE HER EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN AND TEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

THE FAMILY WILL RECEIVE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS AT THE BERSTICKER FUNERAL HOME LOCATED AT 3453 HEATHERDOWNS RD. TOLEDO, OHIO 43614 ON FRIDAY APRIL-21-2023 AFTER 1:00 PM, WITH A CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE AT 3:00 PM. PLEASE COME AND CELEBRATE JOANNE'S LIFE WITH YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES, FUNNIEST STORIES, AND GOOD TIMES, AS JOANNE BEGINS HER TRANSITION IN THIS NEW CHAPTER OF HER JOURNEY OF LIFE.