Joann Alma Clabby

Joann was born on May 29th, 1931, in Waterloo, daughter of Edmund and Mildred Carroll. She married her high-school sweetheart, William R. Clabby, in May of 1952. They were married for 45 wonderful years before his premature passing in 1997.

With a stop in Park Forest, IL and Dallas, TX, Bill and Joann settled in the picturesque small town of Summit, NJ, in 1963 to raise their ten children. Whether it was accompanying Bill into New York City for a glamorous press event with dignitaries and world leaders, or cleaning ketchup off the ceiling after a kid’s food fight, Joann seamlessly held the house together with grace and ease. A favorite request from her grandkids was often to “tell us a story”, because their life together was full of grand experiences and hilarious tales of an Irish-Catholic family of twelve.

Moving to Marietta, GA, in 1996, Joann settled into the role she did best- being a mother and grandmother. She loved rocking her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to sleep and was the perfect nap spot. Memories include boisterous family reunions, cruising with family around the world, and large Thanksgiving gatherings at home in Marietta. Later in life, she enjoyed keeping up with the quickly growing family with weekly phone calls and visits often.

When she wasn’t holding a baby, you could always find her with a paintbrush or fabric in her hand. As an artist at heart, Joann was an art major at the University of Northern Iowa. An avid quilter, she was a member of East Cobb Quilters and the Embroidery Guild. Combining her passions of quilting and children, she singlehandedly made hundreds of beautiful quilts to donate to multiple children’s charities. Her quilts are the heirlooms to warmly cherish for years to come, personally making quilts for all her loved ones for special occasions, weddings and new babies.

With 10 children of her own, 30 grandchildren and 24+ great grandchildren, Joann was the heart that brought the whole family together. Because she was able to spend such quality time with her family, she has created an impactful legacy that will live on through all the generations that were fortunate enough to know her.

She is survived by her children, Terri Pappal of San Antonio, TX, Joseph Clabby of Charleston, SC, Dennis Clabby of Parkland, FL, Carolyn Higgins of Marietta, GA, Kathy Stiner of Berkley Heights, NJ, Maureen Fredrickson of Mesa, AZ, Timothy Clabby of Apex, NC, Margaret Jenkins of Los Alamos, NM, Brigid Jones of Marietta, GA, and Erin Harris of Kendall Park, NJ; 30 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and brother-in-law Dick Clabby of Waterloo, IA. She is preceded in death by her husband, William R. Clabby of Marietta, GA; and her sister Marilyn Carroll Bevacqua of Yuca City, CA.

Joann’s Celebration of Life will be held on her Birthday Weekend in May of 2023 at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Waterloo, Iowa.