Joan E. Baskin

RANSHAW — Joan E. Baskin, 66, of 438 Water St., Ranshaw, died at 10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30, 2009, at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Born in Coal Run on April 29, 1943, she was a daughter of the late Thomas Wolfgang and Ethel Kerstetter. She also lived in Washington, D.C. and returned to the area to raise her children, during which time she lived in Centralia. She moved to Ranshaw in 1985.

She was a 1960 graduate of Coal Township High School and attended Bloomsburg University.

She was first married to Albert R. Nelson, who preceded her in death on Sept. 29, 1974. She later married Morton Baskin Jr., who preceded her in death on June 26, 2003.

She was a secretary. She began her profession in Washington, D.C. with the Air Force Secretary Pool. When she returned home, she worked for the Centralia borough, the Ashland Shirt Factory, the municipality of Coal Township and, lastly, for Ralpho Township.

She was a member of Johnston City United Methodist Church, Ranshaw, and was a past officer of the Anthracite Penn State Club. She also served on several boards with People for Progress with Sister Honor Murphey.

She is survived by two sons, Thomas Lloyd Nelson and wife Buffy Marie, of Prescott, Ariz., and Marc E. Nelson, of Ranshaw; three grandchildren, Jessica Marie, Leita Marie and Rachel Marie Nelson; two brothers, Ralph Wolfgang, of Coal Run, and Charles Wolfgang, of West Cameron Township; three sisters, Beverly Kerstetter, of Berlington, N.J., E. Janet Fellin, of Coal Run, and Linda Wolfgang, of Buckley, Wash., and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas Wolfgang, and a very special niece to whom she was very close, Brenda Leigh Kerstetter.

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BASKIN — Joan E. Baskin, 66, of 438 Water St., Ranshaw. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Johnston City United Methodist Church with the Rev. Beverly Petrovich officiating. The burial will be private and for immediate family. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Leonard J. Lucas Funeral Home Ltd., 120 S. Market St., Shamokin, has charge of the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Johnston City United Methodist Church, or to the American Lung Association.