Joan Louise Nesbitt

Born in Grand Junction, CO into a family of immigrants from the Basque country, Joan grew up in a loving environment where family was central to her life. Joan married her high school sweetheart, Ken Nesbitt, and moved with him while he was in the Navy to Florida, Texas, and California. They moved back to Grand Junction, and Joan became the behind-the-scenes champion as Ken ran and grew United Companies into a thriving business which was eventually sold to CRH/Oldcastle.

A talented artist, Joan also had a decorating business in Grand Junction. Her style and sense of design aesthetics was uniquely cozy and immediately identifiable as her. She also cooked the best lasagna, chocolate chip cookies, and scallinis, to the point where no one else in the family would even try.

Joan was loving and compassionate toward all living things, exemplified by the Nesbitt family's adopting of two children and taking in and caring for numerous animals. She was a humble sharer of intuitive wisdom, elegantly grounded in a feisty sense of Basque humor that came out in the form of quick witted jabs and jokes. And you knew exactly where you stood with her; she held nothing back.

Joan said she was blessed to have been able to travel the world and see places like Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Africa, Central America, and Europe to enrich her full-life experience and to have had homes in Laguna Beach and Kauai where she enjoyed her later years regaling in telling stories of her many adventures and the eccentric characters she'd met along the way.

Joan is survived by her sister Linda, children Chris, Jeff, and Ashley, and grandchildren Carrissa, Hailey, Carter, Christian, Robert Jr., and Tyler.

At Joan's request, no public memorial service will be held. Family will celebrate her life the way she would have wanted it - with food, laughter, and love.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to HopeWest and to Roice-Hurst Humane Society.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.callahan-edfast.com for the Nesbitt family.