Joan Jean Cleary

Joan Jean (Case/Shannahan) Cleary lived a long life where her faith, family and friendships gave her great joy.

Joan was born in Los Angeles, California, on October 14, 1931, and in her early years was raised in San Francisco. She had one sibling, a half-brother, Mick Niles.

She later moved to Portland, Oregon, where she attended Blessed Sacrament School, Jefferson High School, and was a top graduate from the University of Portland School of Nursing.

She and Roger Shannahan met through an inter-high school club. Roger attended Lincoln High School. On graduation from high school, Roger enlisted in the Marines and served in Korea. Upon his return and her graduation from the University of Portland they were married, and lived in Beaverton, Oregon. They had two children, Timothy (Shannahan Cleary, MD) and Maureen (Sr. Julian, JD, OSB).

When Roger died in a farming accident in 1957, Joan and children moved to Southern California, where she met Hugh (Joe) Cleary. They were married on February 7, 1959, and Joe adopted both Timothy and Maureen. They settled in Glendora, CA, and adopted Patrick (Case Cleary) in 1962.

Joan worked as a registered nurse with floor nursing responsibilities; was a school nurse; and spent her last professional years in discharge planning.

Joan and Joe moved to Santa Rosa in the mid-1980s before retiring to Dundee, Oregon, in 1991. In 2019 they moved to Vancouver, WA. Joe died in 2022, and Joan lived with Tim and his wife Barbara (Meyer), and granddaughter, Jeannine, until her death.

For Joan, her faith and family were her passions. She was lovingly devoted to the Blessed Mother, especially to her apparition at Fatima. In the course of their nearly 63 year marriage, she and Joe made at least 11 pilgrimages to Europe visiting Rome and many of the Marian shrines throughout the continent. Their pilgrimages included shrines in Canada. Their travels included cross-country motorhome trips, and adventures cruising to Alaska, Hawaii, and through the Panama Canal.

She was a devoted grandmother to her grandchildren Kevin, Mary Ellen (Ryan McHill), Brendan (Danielle Tirjer), and Jeannine: being part of their school activities, as a wonderful sports spectator as they grew up, and later with their careers and families.

Joan also spoiled her great-grandchildren, Celeste (McHill), Heidi, Genevieve, and Peter (Cleary), and never missed a chance to comment on Shared Album photos of them when added to their online photo galleries.

Throughout her life, she was an active member of all parishes to which she belonged. In Glendora, Joan was involved in St. Dorothy's Parish, where Tim, Maureen, and Patrick attended school. She was especially active at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portland and Vancouver, having served as President of the Altar Society and, with Joe, were Chapel Coordinators for more than 10 years.

Her family will always cherish her affinity for Sees Candies, and the frequent visits to the stores for her beloved Cashew Brittle; her love of the Oregon coast, drives in the country, bagpipe music, and going out to eat for "a little something" (she especially liked an authentic cheese and onion enchilada or chicken tamale); Burgerville strawberry milkshakes that she shared with Jeannine; and Carol's Corner Cafe's veggie omelettes, which "had more veggies than any other omelette around".

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Our Lady of Fatima Church, Vancouver, Washington, Capital Campaign.