Joan Hansen

Joan Marie (Reising) Hansen, 86, of Nashville, Indiana passed away peacefully on September 22, 2025, in Indianapolis, surrounded by her family. A magnificent matriarch, Joni was anything but ordinary. Known for her fiery spirit and fierce attention to numbers, she leaves a lasting legacy spanning generations.

She was born in Evansville, Indiana in 1939 to Alice and Francis Fuchs, who she adored and who allowed her to grow into the vivacious woman that she was. Calling herself a "Catholic country girl", her childhood was filled with warmth and affection. She developed a love for musicals and games, always ready to connect over cards, humming to music in the background.

Her love of numbers framed her midlife – numerology gave her the purpose and the power to enable others to take charge of their lives. Every person that she met was touched by her intuition and wit. The power she refused to words (we'll all remember her favorite words, won't we?) she gave to numbers. She translated the language of numbers in a way that perhaps no one else could ever manage.

She was a magician, a "soul mom", a divine spirit and a mystic. She was "mom", "Jojo", "trouble", "frisky", and a wonder to even those of us who knew her deeply.

She is survived by a number of wild women she shaped, including daughters Joy Stachel (Jason) of Greenwood, Heather Cutshaw (Danny) of Indianapolis and granddaughters Felicia Doherty (Brian) of Denver, CO, Haley Shotts (Jeremy) of Fort Wayne, and Lilli Bowden (Ben) of Indianapolis. She was preceded in death by her parents Alice and Frances, her sister Joy Fuchs, her brother David Fox, and her son Michael Reising.

A self-proclaimed tree-hugger, she shared her appreciation for the natural world with those near to her. Her infectious, adventurous spirit made a lasting impact on those lucky enough to trek around to state parks with her. We will always remember road trips to Clifty Falls, hiking straight through the river, Joni leading the way in her red bandana. She took us to church in the hills of Brown County State Park, where we will remember swinging on vines, catching frogs in the lake, hopping fallen limbs, and sledding down hills on freshly fallen snow. The sight of loyal hummingbirds on her patio imprinted on all of us the beauty of a place to rest our wings and be present with her, and ourselves.

Joni will be remembered as spiritual, influential, clever, and wise. She could see magic in the world that others could not, and her life's work was to give the gift of that sight to others. To know her was to be taken by her, to be allowed into a world ripe with the possibility of our own individual strengths. She'll live on in our hearts certainly, but because of her divine guidance in all of our lives, she'll also live on in our intuitions, our actions, and in the way we treat ourselves and each other.

A celebration of life is to be held at the CCC camp shelter at Brown County State Park from 11am-4pm on October 25, 2025. Please reach out to feliciamdoherty@gmail.com if you would like more information as this well deserved celebration is planned.

Arrangements have been entrusted to The Cremation Society of Indiana, 4115 Shelby Street. Please leave a message or share a memory.

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To plant a tree in memory of Joan Hansen, please visit our Tribute Store.