Joan Menken

Joan Menken, 89, passed away on August 28, 2025 in Charles City. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 5, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Greene with burial at Rose Hill Cemetery, Greene. Woodley Funeral Home and Crematory, Greene is caring for Joan. Visitation will be 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., Friday, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Greene. Joan Kay Norman was born the daughter of Albert & Caroline (Heins) Norman in Geneva, IA on November 20, 1935. She was baptized at Hampton Trinity Lutheran Church on March 29, 1936. The family bought a farm and moved Northeast of Riceville, IA. Joan attended grade school at a country school, Saratoga #3 until 8th grade. She graduated from Riceville High School 1953 and attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and graduated in 1955. She began her teaching career as a 4th grade teacher in Greene. It was here that she met and married James Everett Menken and they were married August 18th, 1956. To this union was born a daughter Tamela Ann and 2 sons Troy James and Tory Jay. Joan enjoyed her St Peters Lutheran Church teaching Bible school, holding various church offices and enjoyed being a Luther League sponsor with her husband, Jim for many years. Through her many years of teaching one quote stood out, " A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, The sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a Child". She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and her husband, Jim of 61 years. She is survived by her daughter Tami (Frank) Abben, and her sons, Troy (Margo) Menken and Tory (Kim) Menken, 12 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren.