Joan Frances Justus

Joan was the most devoted mom her four children could ever ask for, not flawless, but she was always willing to be better and ask for forgiveness when necessary. Her family started when her son, Mike, was born. This gave her the greatest joy in life. She would always say her greatest accomplishment was her children. Gammy, as she was known to her adoring grandkids and great-grandkids, spoiled them all. There was not a thing she would not do for any of them, within her means. She spent a lot of time with the grandchildren, as a group and individually, teaching them songs, and sharing stories about herself and her family. She truly enriched their lives. She worshipped her parents and grieved them tremendously. She never got over the loss of her mother. I now understand why.

Joan was a lifelong animal lover. She had many pets throughout her life some she even called her soulmates. She treated her pets like she treated her family, giving them all she had and with all the love she could bestow on them. Later she started feeding the wild birds and squirrels in her yard. Cecil, as she lovingly named him, the squirrel eventually started bringing his family to dine on the treats she left them or to relax in their chair and umbrella she bought for them. She spent many hours watching them from her den with such glee and enjoyment. They brought her as much love as she gave to them.

An avid reader is an understatement when describing Mom. She would find an author she enjoyed and would read everything they wrote. She loved poetry. As a young mother, she read us poems every night before bedtime. Her favorite was Little Boy Blue by Eugene Field. It was about the death of a child. Sadly, she experienced this as a young mother when our baby brother, David, passed away from SIDS at three months old. When her eyes got too bad to read print she clung to her Kindle because the font could be enlarged enough for her to read, every night.

She traveled to Paris with her niece and developed a passion for the art and food of France. She traveled to Scotland, with her son Chuck, to follow her McIntyre roots. She shopped till she dropped as they say. She loved Scotland so much that they never made it to Ireland on that trip. She traveled to Acapulco, with her daughter Sabrina, and on that adventure, she loved to explain how she risked her life with Sabrina behind the wheel. It was quite a bonding experience. There were family ski trips and trips to the Grand Canyon, but the best times were spent on the beach at the foot of Reed St. From dawn to dusk with her kids and her mother Leverne, they packed a cooler with delicious food for an all-day adventure. Joan and her mom both loved to swim in the ocean. A passion she passed down to her kids and their kids as well.

She was a Navy brat and lived in many places. Her favorite places were Hawaii and North Carolina. Her family will scatter her ashes in both those places to honor her love for them. She researched her ancestry and found that she was a descendant of the daughters of the American Revolution. She was fascinated with all the details and learned about her extended family and their many achievements. Family always carried the utmost importance to Mom.

She attended Catholic school and graduated from Rosary High School. She was mostly a stay-at-home mom till her kids got older. After that, she was always at Tizocs restaurant in Pt. Loma, then moved on to sales in the copy business and finally, a service coordinator, working for her son, Steve, and daughter-in-law Leslie, helping seniors like herself with respite care at home.

Besides all her other passions she loved music, various types, from Rhapsody in Blue to Oingo Boingo and everything in between. Every morning, she listened to Clare de Lune, then Wonderful World by IZ, and then Hawaiian music. She was a Gulls hockey fan, Padres fan, Lakers fan, and past Chargers fan. Joan lived an immense life, filled with the love of family and many friends. She was not free from the trials and tribulations life brings us all, but she never complained and made the best of what God gave her, like us all. We are blessed beyond measure to have had her in our lives. She will always be in our hearts.

She is survived by her three sons, Mike (Melinda) Bojorquez, Chuck (Marie) Bojorquez, and Steve (Leslie) Bojorquez, and only daughter Sabrina Hahnlein. Eight grandchildren: Eric Lee, Charlene (Joel) Baiz, Michael (Christine) Bojorquez, Kimberly Hahnlein, Kevin Hahnlein, Meredith (Alex) Ward, Aaron Bojorquez, Kathryn Hahnlein, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Generous beyond measure, Joan donated to every animal conservationist organization she could. Mom loved a cause and got behind it 100% till she found her next cause.

Instead of flowers please consider donating in her honor to any of the following:

San Diego Humane Society, Humane Society of America, World Wildlife Fund, Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, Act Blue, Move On, and the Democratic Committee.