Joan Britt Balot

1934 - 2020

Joan Britt Balot

Joan Britt Balot (born Cassie Joan Britt), 85, of Louisville, passed away on February 23, 2020, in Bowling Green, KY. Joan embodied the height of generosity and sass, and her family will miss her forever. Her death followed shortly after that of her beloved husband Norman Balot; we like to imagine them together again somewhere now, listening to books and stubbornly debating each other. Born May 7, 1934, in Auburn, KY, Joan was the proud daughter of Ode Britt and Nell (Anderson) Britt. She is survived by her loving daughters, Susanne Page Howe (partner Larry Magnes) of Louisville and Melissa Page Milby (husband Perry Milby, who also had long showered Joan with a son's love and attention, but did so especially in her final months) of Bowling Green; stepsons Greg Balot (wife Kris Balot) of Polk City, FL and Randy Balot of Asheville, NC; sisters Yvonne Latham of Nashville, TN, Virgie Burke (husband Ed Burke) of Shepherdsville, KY, and Carol Ford of Cave City, KY; brothers Jimmy Britt (wife Lois Latham DeBerry) of Auburn, KY, Richard Britt (wife Ginger Britt) of West Palm Beach, FL, Danny Britt (wife Debbie Britt) of Auburn, KY, and Barry Britt of St. Augustine, FL; grandchildren Kelly Howe (& grandson-in-law/devoted fan Martin Zimmerman), Ryan Howe, Christopher Balot, Andrew Balot, Megan Balot MacBryde (husband Ian MacBryde), and Michael Balot-Garza (wife Micaela Balot-Garza); in-laws Charles and Sharon Balot of Los Angeles, CA, Celeste Balot Rusin and John Rusin of Toms River, NJ, and Judith Balot of Boynton Beach, FL; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends she loved dearly. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, brother Bobby Britt, sisters Dorothy Edwards, Donna Sue Loftis, and Ruth Opdenaker, granddaughter Crystal Love, and ex-husband/admired co-parent Robert Page. At age 8, Joan left the family farm to study in Louisville at the Kentucky School for the Blind, where she sang and acted and made lifelong friends. Across her career, she worked in a range of positions, including at the Salvation Army, as a typist at the American Printing House for the Blind, and ultimately as Assistant Director of the Kentucky Department for the Blind. Joan was also active with the National Federation for the Blind and Visually Impaired Preschool Services. Joan loved and supported her family ferociously, but she sincerely cared for and worried about everyone--about the whole world, really. She was astonishingly generous with family, friends, and strangers. Joan always came through. She shopped and cooked for sick or homebound friends or friends who were neither but just loved her extraordinary cooking. She was forever with a block of cream cheese in one hand and a stick of butter in the other. Likely, however, we will remember her humor above all. She was hilarious, incredibly quick with a quip, and adored a party (all the better if she was the gracious host). She'd also want us to tell you that to mix anything with bourbon is just a waste of bourbon. Joan loved chatting for hours over bourbon with family and friends, reading and watching Jeopardy with Norman, lunch dates with her ya-yas, and literally anything to do with celebrating the accomplishments of her grandchildren. Joan was luminous, and we all loved her so. Thank you to the staff of Treyton Oak Towers and Hosparus for their care and support. The service has been postponed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hosparus (https://hosparushealth.org/) or Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).