Joan H. Myers, 93, of Ft. Wayne, IN passed away on Saturday, December 28, 2019 in Columbia City IN. She was born on May 28, 1926, the daughter of Ross and Jeanette (Caldwell) Hottman in Kenton Ohio and always considered herself a ‘Buckeye’. While in her younger years, several Midwest cities would be her home, she spent most of her life in Fort Wayne, graduating from South Side High School. She married her girlhood admirer, and long-time love, William J. Myers on April 26, 1946 in Fort Wayne IN.
Throughout her life, several activities were very important to her, one of which was teaching swimming. She was involved with the American Red Cross for 23 years as a Learn to Swim Coordinator for the Fort Wayne City Park Pools. She taught swimming at the YWCA for 35 years and finished her career teaching swimming for both the YMCA and for Fort Wayne Community Schools. She often said that she would finish her days in a wheelchair, telling kids to ‘breathe and blow’ from the side of the pool.
She also enjoyed dancing and from a young age danced for the Mary Truelove Studio as one of the Variety Girls. Mary Truelove Stellhorn, along with Mary’s husband, Wayne, became life-long friends of Bill and Joan’s, traveling many miles together, ice-fishing, swimming and boating and in general enjoying each other’s company. After retiring, Joan became a member of the Alley Cat Dance Group, dancing well into her 80’s. She worked as a media clerk for Fort Wayne Community Schools and retired in 1989 after 22 years of service.
Throughout her adult life, Joan’s favorite place to be was the family cottage on Witmer Lake in Wolcottville, IN. Every weekend, without fail, except in the winter months, that is the place you would find her along with her parents, Bill, Chris and in early years, the extended family. She loved the out of doors and enjoyed the lake more than anything. She was able to enjoy ‘going to the lake’ even into her last years. It was truly home to her.
Joan is survived by her daughter, Christine A Myers, and her wife, Karen A Kennedy. Her other ‘kids’; nieces, Peggy (Don) Fogle (Fort Wayne), Connie (Kevin) Hapner (New Haven), and nephew, Danny (Mary) Clauser (Fort Wayne).
She was preceded in death by her husband, William J. Myers; her parents; her sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Ed Clauser, niece, Diane (Sam) Fogwell, and Chris’s long-time companion, Nancy Highley.
The family would like to thank Joan’s Debeney Drive neighbors in Fort Wayne, Al and Julie, without whom it would not have been possible for her to stay in her home for as long as she did. They would also like to thank the staff at Miller’s Assisted Living Facility at Oak Pointe in Columbia City, who made her last months of life pleasurable. Donations in Joan’s memory can be made to Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana/Camp Logan.
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