Joan was born in Baltimore, Maryland on March 31, 1930, to William Christian Decker and Katherine Decker (nee Lanahan) and grew up in the Baltimore and Catonsville areas. She attended Catonsville High School in the Class of 1948 and attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri where she was a member of the Eta Epsilon Gamma Sorority.
While at Stephens, she met Sylvester William (“Bill”) Appelbaum who was then a student at the University of Missouri. The two married on October 7, 1950, in Catonsville where they raised five children.
Joan and Bill vacationed in Ocean City, Maryland each summer with her sister, Jeanne and her family at a summer house built by Jeanne’s husband Ken and his brother Roland. Memories include days spent on the beach, shopping for food at Ding Bell’s market, walking the Boardwalk and sitting by the fires in the evenings.
Joan and Bill had a wide network of friends and enjoyed their Bridge Club, dancing, playing golf and traveling. Joan spent many hours dedicated to sewing, crafting and intricate cross stitching. She also developed a passion for painting in both oil and watercolor. Her beautiful artwork adorns the walls of her children and grandchildren. Joan loved going to the movies and especially loved romance novels.
Joan worked for several years at Catonsville Community College.
A true Catonsville resident, Joan and her family enjoyed annual 4th of July celebrations including the parade, cookouts, and fireworks along with neighborhood friends.
In later years, Joan hosted family gatherings which approached thirty people, and especially loved celebrating Christmas with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A true matriarch, she adored her family and was always fiercely in their court and the best ooh-er and aah-er for all of their major and minor accomplishments.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Bill. She is survived by her children William C (Pat Baker) Appelbaum, James R (Brenda) Appelbaum, Sharon A (Carmen) Appelbaum, Katherine A (Will) Sauble, and Scott A (Ginny) Appelbaum as well as nine beloved grandchildren, Emily (Michael) Brennan, Krysten (Danny) Adler, Sarah Appelbaum, Mallory Sauble, Scott Appelbaum, Bethany (Conor) Sullivan, Alexander Appelbaum, Kirby (Tim) English and Eric Appelbaum. There are also five great-grandchildren (Liam, Molly, Jack, Arthur, and Emmett).
Family will receive friends on Monday, April 15, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville, Inc., 1630 Edmondson Ave, Catonsville, MD 21228. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the funeral home. Interment to follow in Loudon Park Cemetery.
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