Joan Rae Lake, née Lashmett was born on August 15, 1931, in Ord, Nebraska. She was married in Twentynine Palms, California on December 3, 1950 to Robert D. Lake (Bob). Joanie passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on April 9, 2014.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents Leroy R. Lashmett and Wrayma C. Lashmett née Bray. Joan’s family includes her husband of 63 years, Robert D. Lake; her sister Jean Karas and her family; their four children, Steven C. Lake (Doris Ludwig Lake), Colleen J. Lindsay, Kelly L. Sparks (Paul Evans), and Daniel J. Lake (Nieves); their nine grandchildren, Brian Lake (Clare), Kirsten Ahonen (Seth), Michael Lindsay (Clarissa), Lisa Lindsay, Rodney Sparks (Abby), Joe Sparks, Daniel R. Lake, Bethany Hanson née Evans (Chris), Hannah Evans; and their fourteen great-grandchildren.
Joan moved to Twentynine Palms, California in 1947. It was there, in high school, that this sweet sixteen year old met Bob Lake.
Joan was a strong athletic girl and a cheerleader at Twentynine Palms High School. She loved music, played the piano, and loved to sing. Especially loved singing in harmony. She loved to perform on stage and had many costumes and props for skits from “Annie Get Your Gun”. She loved talent shows and was very good at pantomime. Joan was also a fairly good artist with pastel chalk.
In 1956, after moving around a bit, Joan and Bob moved to El Portal, California. In 1967 they moved to Yosemite National Park and stayed there until 1975 when they moved to Mesa Verde National Park. In 1977 they moved to Mineral, California, near Lassen Volcanic National Park, then to Red Bluff, California. There they stayed until 2009 when they moved to Antelope, California, just north of Sacramento, to be next to their daughter, Kelly and her husband Paul.
Joan was always a loving person. She was smart, funny, and almost always happy. She never refused a hug, and was always happy to see you. She was so devoted to her family. Joan said she always wanted to be known as a very happy-go-lucky person with a love for life and a wonderful family.
Joan loved to work around people. Some of her happiest times were when she worked at the El Portal Post Office, the El Portal Store, and later at the Yosemite National Park General Store.
She poured out so much love for life, her husband, her children, and her friends. We will all miss her very much.
Services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, 545 Berrendos Avenue, Red Bluff, CA 96080 on April 23, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.
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