Her wanderlust and inspiration for art were satisfied throughout her life by travel, road trips and vacations. She always enjoyed a good drive, discovering new amazing beautiful places and people. Her children (Teri Bevelacqua (Bob) and Michael Bevelacqua (Kris)) have many fond memories of road trips throughout the Midwest while growing up. When money was tight, fun was had by just driving around and getting lost in new places, “let’s see what’s down this road”. She was a lifelong artist and lover of the natural world. Sitting by the ocean, a lake or river, watching the sun rise on Mt Rainier, enjoying a sunset in Cabo, skiing after a fresh snowfall, watching a storm, being in the desert, all inspired her art (drawing, painting, glass and gourd work) and her beliefs in the universe.
She cherished her friends and family. She was fiercely protective and supportive of all she loved. Her grandchildren were the light of her life and she adored them all (Kate, Whitney, Hayden, Jacob & Finley) and was so proud of each of them for the kind and wonderful beings they are. Her friendships were deep and meaningful. She looked forward to and was grateful for conversations and visits from each of them.
Joan grew up in the Detroit, MI area a graduate of Michigan State. Job opportunities took her to New Jersey where she married and started a family while working for Bell Labs. As Bell Labs expanded they moved to the Chicago area. At her heart, she was a lifelong teacher. Starting at the College of DuPage when it opened and computer science was a newly developing field of study. She left the classroom for new challenges. Along long with a hard working team she was instrumental in developing a program that created educational partnerships between the College of DuPage and DuPage County businesses. This program was a model program for community colleges nationwide. Her need for a beautiful place to live with mountains, big water and evergreens took her to Washington State, Fort Steilacoom Community College (Pierce College), where she was a Vice President. After retiring from academia Joan owned and operated CorrPac Packaging Supply with her daughter in Olympia for 13 years.
Retirement allowed her to spend extended time in Cabo and created the opportunity for her to move to another place that had captured her heart, Utah and the southwest desert. Here she took time to work on her art, make even more friends, share her glass art skills with others and learn a new medium. She loved exploring the area, hosting family & friends, sharing the places she found so beautiful.
She was an inspiration to so many with her grace, sacrifices and integrity. Loved by so many, she will be missed and her memory cherished. Everyone should be so lucky as to have had such a steadfast and loving mother and friend as Joan.
A Celebration of Joan’s life will be held September 5, 2015 1:00pm at Water St Cafe in Olympia WA. Please contact Teri at [email protected] for details. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
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