Joan Fisk

1938 - 2025

On Monday, October 13, 2025, Joan Fisk, a long-time Dillon, MT resident, passed away at Edgewood Belgrade Memory Care in Belgrade, MT at the age of 87. Joan Marie Wojtowick was born on May 10, 1938, in Lewistown, MT to Ed and Jeanne Wojtowick and was the eldest of seven children. Joan and her siblings grew up in Harlowton, MT.

Joan attended Harlowton High School where she graduated in 1956. The highlight of her sophomore year was attending Sacred Heart Academy in Missoula, MT. Joan excelled at school and attended Girls State in 1955. She was also selected as one of two candidates from the State of Montana to attend Girls Nation in Washington D.C.

On February 16, 1957, Joan married her soulmate, Russell John Fisk in Harlowton, MT. They devoted 62 years to one another before Russ's passing in 2019. Together they had six children, two girls and four boys. After living in Huntly Project, Miles City, and Havre the family settled in Dillon. Russ and Joan relocated to Belgrade in 2016 to be closer to family.

Joan was a good friend and a loving wife. She meant a lot to many as a daughter, sister, mother, foster-mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She never failed to miss a birthday or important moments in her family's lives and was especially great at providing everyone with a wonderful Christmas. She enjoyed being a part of her children's and grandchildren's lives, often trying to make it to all major life events and extracurricular activities. Joan was a determined, resilient woman with a great work ethic, which helped her achieve some of her greatest accomplishments. Before getting married, Joan worked at the Wheatland Memorial Hospital in Harlowton as a teenager. Following her marriage to Russ, she worked at Barrett Memorial Hospital before they began their family. She was a successful district Avon representative for 15 years and later owned Footprints Shoe Store in Dillon for more than a decade. Eventually returning to her dream of working in the medical field, Joan graduated from Radiology School in 1991. She was employed by Barrett Memorial Hospital as a radiologic technician until she retired at the age of 72.

Joan always enjoyed a good road trip! Tea and shopping with her friend Millie was another favorite activity. Joan was a loving and attentive mother, who opened her home to foster children and friends. Spending time with her children and grandchildren was especially precious to her. Birthdays were always very special occasion with her signature meal of spaghetti and 'the birthday' cake.

Joan was passionate about helping people in need. She was an active volunteer at the Beaverhead Community Food Pantry as well as participating in the Toys for Tots drive. She was a huge advocate for Breast Cancer Awareness having had survived three occurrences of breast cancer herself.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Russell John Fisk; son, Russell Edward Fisk; daughter, Mary Lynn Fisk; parents, Ed and Jeanne Wojtowick; and brother, Gary Wojtowick.

She is survived by her children, Mary (Bruce) Williams, Mike (Tammy) Fisk, Stephen (Wende) Fisk and Christopher (Becky) Fisk; siblings, Mike (Marilyn) Wojtowick, Kay (Robert) Franks, Donna (Paul) Krause, Gail (Dean) Leary, Tim (Julie) Wojtowick; and sisters-in-law, Mary Lynn Wojtowick, Ramona (Frank) Raths, Arvilene (Hartley) Hearndon, and Shirly Beaver. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly.

Joan's family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Edgewood Memory Care in Belgrade, Enhabit Hospice, and the staff at Brookdale Spring Meadows. Your kindness and support will never be forgotten.

On October 25, there will be a graveside service at Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon, Montana at 10:00 A.M., with a luncheon to follow at the Elks Lodge.

Memorials can be sent in Joan's name to Beaverhead Community Food Pantry or Bozeman Health Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Those we love don't go away; they sit beside us every day. -Liane Moriarty

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service in Bozeman. www.dokkennelson.com