She was born in Seattle Washington August 6th 1931 to John and Louise Hibbler. She was raised in the small town of South Cle Elum Washington in the family home that her dad built. She grew up with many family members being her mother was the youngest of 12 children. During her 2nd grade her sister was born and they had a close lifelong bond. She enjoyed going to grade school and then high school in Cle Elum. She was involved in many clubs and excelled at school, graduating in 1949 as the class valedictorian. She then went on to college on a scholarship at Central Washington University majoring in primary education. During the summers she was camp a counselor at Moran State park on Orcas Island.
After graduating she met and married the love of her life George E Hendry in Roslyn Washington, on January 29 1955.
They settled in Bellevue Washington where she began her teaching career. She took some time off from teaching to raise her four children and went back to teaching 1st grade at Benjamin Rush Elementary school In 1968 in Redmond Washington.
She spent 23 years at Benjamin Rush elementary teaching hundreds of children to read and introducing them to the value of an education. Teaching was her passion. She instilled this value in her own children ensuring all her children graduated from college. Every year as the new school year began she spent countless hours getting her classroom ready for the new classes arrival. Her bulletin boards were a great source of pride and creativity. She kept her teaching skills honed by regularly attending summer school at Central Washington University. During those summers Joan’s children stayed with her mother in South Cle Elum, enjoying a summer east of the mountains while her husband George stayed back working at his engineering position at Boeing Corporation.
During the summers they spent time traveling with their children and later years her grandchildren to many attractions over the US and Canada. Joan loved to travel and see the many beautiful places the world has to offer. She most enjoyed her travel when she could share it with family and friends.
Family and her faith meant everything to her. Joan was an active member of the St Madeleine Sophie parish guild. She would often volunteer her time supporting the guild and parish events. She was a very devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister.
Joan is survived by sister Lucille Seaton, her daughter Melanie J Wasankari and husband Doug, son Tim G. Hendry and wife Nadine, son Rod D. Hendry, son Ted M. Hendry, her grandchildren, Nathan Wasankari, Alyssa Hendry South, Krystal Kovisto, Ryan E. Hendry and her great grandchild Jaxon South. Joan was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years George E. Hendry.
She will be dearly missed but her love will live on in each family member and many friends trying to live by her giving way.
Catholic Mass services for Joan will be held at St Madeleine Sophie parish in Bellevue on February 11th at 11am followed by a grave site service at Cedar Lawns Memorial Park in Redmond at 1pm.
PALLBEARERS
Tim Hendry
Rod Hendry
Ted Hendry
Ryan Hendry
Nathan Wasankari
Ken Seaton
Travis Seaton
Joel Huff
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18