Joanna Faye (Ehrlich) Gillespie

Joanna Fay (Ehrlich) Gillespie, age 96, passed peacefully into our Heavenly Father’s hands at the home of her daughter and family in Queen Creek, Arizona on February 15, 2022. She was born in back of their family shop, in Follett, Texas in 1925 to Asaph and Otilla (Laubhan) Ehrlich. She resided in Follett until 1965 when she and her husband, Ike and four children, moved to Casa Grande, Arizona where she worked as a first grade teacher an business owner in the child care industry. Joanna earned her teaching credential from West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas and continuing education at Goodwell, Oklahoma for her certification and BA in elementary education. She taught fourth grade in Follett and first grade in Casa Grande until her retirement in 1972. She continued her business operations with Owner/Operator of Mary Moppets Day Care facilities in Tucson, Yuma, Casa Grande, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix and Prescott.

Joanna married M.E, Gillespie in 1945 until his passing in 2007 at age 83, They raised four children, three girls, (Vicki Mabery, Gayle Maloney, Debra Fink) and a son, (Patrick Gillespie). Joanna is survived by her children, two brothers (L.J. and Robert Tracy Enrlich) and a sister (Bernice Anderson). Joanna was preceded in death by her parents, a sister (Joyce Clara) and two brothers (Gene and Maurice Ehrlich). She is survived by 10 grandchildren; Scott Mabery, Erin (Lamb) Mabery, Jennifer (Maloney) Kuzmich, Jessica (Maloney) Huesman, Cody Maloney, Adam McNair, Erin (Fink) Torres, Jonathan Fink, Ashleigh (Gillespie) Cantrell, and Shane Gillespie, and additionally seventeen great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.

Joanna treasured her family life and believed in giving time to help the less fortunate. She shared all she had when she could. Joanna’s passion was children, camping, racing thoroughbred horses, Las Vegas, and always finding something to fix, clean, or paint. She was a Girl Scout Leader, sports enthusiast, seamstress, stickler for rules and fairness, animal lover and had a deep love for Christ.

Joanna will be forever in our hearts.

A graveside service for Joanna will be held Friday, March 4, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery, 10940 East Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85248.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.valleyofthesunfuneralhome.com for the Gillespie family.