Joan Frances Armel Lopez

Joan Frances Armel Lopez, a 51 year resident of the high desert, passed away peacefully October 9, 2015 in Apple Valley. She was born Sept. 5, 1930 in Covina, CA in the same hospital in which her father was born. She was a 1949 graduate of Colton High School, attended San Bernardino Valley College and worked at the Harris' Dept. Store in San Bernardino, CA as an assistant to the buyer. She met and married Frank Lopez in 1952, a career military veteran, and they lived at March Air Force Base in Riverside, CA, where their two sons were born, Frank Curtis in 1953, and Dennis Keith in 1956. Frank was transferred to Europe in 1959 and the family was stationed at Weisbaden Air Force Base in West Germany, before returning to California in 1962, stationed at George Air Force Base, Victorville, CA. The family moved to downtown Victorville in 1964, where they resided until they retired to Apple Valley, CA in 1981.

During her time in Europe, Joan had the opportunity to learn about other cultures and to travel throughout Europe, seeing Italy, France, and the Berlin Wall. She had since traveled to the Carribean, Mexico, Greece, Egypt, Panama, and Russia. In a very special trip in 2002, the family returned to visit Germany to see the original air base housing and the apartment they resided in downtown Weisbaden.

During the late 1960's and early 1970's, Joan worked with the Roy Rogers Museum in Apply Valley and returned to finish college. She earned a B.A. degree from Chapman University in 1976. It was her education which inspired her to work with many civic and community groups throughout the high desert area throughout all her life. She was instrumental in helping to establish a teen program and a domestic violence shelter in Victorville, a women's college and career re-entry program, a coalition of women's organizations. Joan was a cofounder and board director for the High Desert Child, Adolescent, and Family Services Center, which offered substance abuse counseling and intervention programs.

Joan was instrumental in expanding the American Association of University Women in the High Desert and was President of the High Desert Branch from 1983-1985. She led committees for Families Facing Change, Women's Issues, and was a driving force behind the Women's Career Conference, which has become the largest annual women's conference in the high desert, attracting national speakers and attendees from throughout Southern California. Joan was the AAUW Southeast District Director from 1992-95, and has held many positions with the California State AAUW including: Women's Issues Committee, Education Foundation Committee, Resolutions Chairperson, and chair of the Nominating Committee.

Her recent civic activities included membership on the Victor Valley Community Services Council, the Victorville Historical Commission, the Advisory Council Board for the Foundation at Victor Valley College, and as a member of the Town of Apple Valley Historical Advisory Committee since 2000.

She is survived by her husband Frank Lopez of Apple Valley, sons Frank Curtis Lopez of Green Mountain, Nrth Carolina and Dennis Keith Lopez of Las Vegas, NV, grandchildren Eric Lopez and Amy Hudson of North Carolina, Foze Escamilla of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 4 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great grandchild.

Services will be held Sunday, November 1, 1 p.m. at the Victor Valley Memorial Chapel and Park.