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Joan Ferber Obituary
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Joan Elizabeth (Durbin) Ferber, age 76, of Decatur, passed away at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at Memorial Health in Springfield, surrounded by her loved ones.
Joan was born on October 7, 1948, in Hillsboro, Illinois, to parents Howard and Mary (Moroney) Durbin.
Joan attended Nokomis Grade School as well as Hillsboro High School. She married Steven L. Ferber on New Year's Eve, 1998, at their home in Hillsboro. She loved and cherished being with Steve for the past 26 years. She absolutely adored her daughter, Heidi and son in law, Mike. Her greatest joy was being "Grammy" to her two grandchildren, Railyn and Levi. They were her greatest blessings. She treasured every moment with them, and they will forever miss their Grammy. Joan had a way of making everyone around her feel loved, special, and she was always the life of the party. Those who knew and loved her will miss her endlessly.
Mrs. Ferber is survived by her husband, Steven Ferber of Decatur; her daughter, Heidi (husband, Mike) Bullock of Mount Zion, IL; her grandchildren, Railyn and Levi Bullock; and one brother, Jim Durbin of Florida.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Ryan Bledsaw, on September 29, 2003; and her twin daughters, Christina May and Melissa Kay Bledsaw, in infancy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Joan's honor may be directed to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, 11252 N 9th Ave, Hillsboro, IL 62049-3621.
A Celebration of Life for Joan will be held on April 27th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Taylor Springs Community Center in Taylor Springs, IL.
Hough & Sons Funeral Home in Hillsboro is in charge of arrangements.
Condolences may be left online at www.houghfuneralhome.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2 Entries
Penny Hart
May 18, 2025
Miss Joan is the reason I have cats now.
Between me and her you can call both of us the cat lady!
I love and I miss you so much Joan.
I miss our talks late of the night while Steve's asleep we'd set up on the phone and laugh and I get you to laughing I'm surprised I didn't wake him up I think you did but he just didn't say nothing.
I think Steve knew when you got down I could make you laugh and that's all he wanted was to make you happy.
I hope you met my daddy now you know how bad I missed you or miss him.
For the last 3 weeks I've lost somebody I care deeply about two or three in a week and last night it started all over again my aunt that's the way Daddy's sister my boyfriend couple days before this passed away well week before this and I had his funeral messed up and thought it was a later date and it was the earlier date and I just missed it all together.
Which since I've gotten sick with emphysema I don't get out much but Eddie and I kept in touch with each other throughout the years I'm going to miss him too but not like you and Marianne and daddy.
I love you all here's a candle for each.
In the last two weeks I light a candle for each one and you too Joan
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Penny Hart
April 12, 2025
Wow everyone else was asleep at night Joan and I would be up on the phone all night.
Steve would tell her if you can't go to sleep call Penny she's up LOL.
Joan and Steve was the cat lady and man of the neighborhood until they got me to liking them then I became a big cat lover.
Now that they moved to Illinois I'm the cat lady of the neighborhood now.
I've missed them so much and now to find out that Joan has passed on it breaks my heart I'm so sorry she would be missed terribly.
She left her granddaughter to the Moon and back thought she would talk about and of course Steve she loves Steve so much.
RIP Joan
Fly high my friend fly high
These are some flowers that I helped Joan plant and when she moved to Illinois she left these with me.
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