Joan Ann "Joanie" Hughes

Joan “Joanie” Hughes, 68, of Beacon, passed away Friday, March 25, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

Joan Ann Hughes was born September 25, 1947, in Oskaloosa to Luther “Pat” Merrill and Thelma Dora (Neil) Howard. “Joanie” as she was soon known, was raised in Oskaloosa and was a 1965 graduate of Oskaloosa High School. Following her education, she went to work at Big Smith overall factory. In 1973, she began working at Pella Corp. Joanie worked there for 33 years and had a record of perfect attendance for 30 of those years.

June 22, 1984, Joanie married Jim Dale Hughes in Oskaloosa. Joanie loved to have fun and never forgot how to play. As a young mother, she loved taking her children camping and boating and later, she and Jim enjoyed their cabin on the Des Moines River where they boated and fished. She belonged to a bowling league and also loved to dance and roller skate at Edge Town Skating and Beacon Skating Rink. Halloween was one of her favorite holidays, in her early years she “dressed up” to hand out candy and never skimped on the candy for the neighborhood children. She enjoyed NASCAR, as well as, her husband’s racing hobby. She was one of the lead members of his support team. Joanie was a member of the Oskaloosa Eagles Lodge and a former member of the Moose Lodge.

Her family includes her husband, Jim, of 31 years; her children: Robert (Teresa) Stephen of Davenport and Tammy (Bob Laverenz) Newcomb of Davenport; grandchildren: Ricky (Stuart Blom) Newcomb of Colorado Springs, CO and Candace (Jon) Hull of Davenport; great grandchildren, Kyler and Kaylin Hull; sisters: Carol (Bob) Beason of Oskaloosa and Madelyn Walker of Eddyville; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Jerry Howard.

Funeral services for Joanie will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel with Pastor Alvern Boetsma of the Good News Chapel officiating. As was her wish, her body will be cremated following the service. Burial of her ashes will be at Forest Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., Monday; the family will greet visitors from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral chapel.