Mrs Joan Bagley Shadowens

Funeral services for Joan Bagley Shadowens will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Shiloh Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Shiloh Baptist Cemetery under the direction of Hawthorn Funeral Home. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 13, 2025 from 6-8:00 p.m. at Hawthorn Funeral Home.
Born on September 24, 1931, in the Shiloh Community of Keachi, Louisiana, Joan was the fourth of six children born to Maurine Lagrone Bagley and Walter Bagley. She entered the world during the Great Depression-her birth paid for with a bale of cotton-a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness that defined her life.
Joan grew up alongside her siblings: Huey, Lynn, Peggy, Carolyn, and Hiram "Hot Shot" on a family farm created out of the sheer will and determination of her close-knit family during a time of war and economic instability. This instilled in her resilience and love of family.
A graduate of Longstreet High School, Joan was especially proud to serve as captain of the girls' basketball team-a role she often spoke of with joy. After high school, she pursued a career in nursing in Shreveport. She was a devoted mother and a protector of her family, bravely stepping forward during the polio epidemic as one of the first in DeSoto Parish to receive the vaccine. She later moved to East Texas, expanding her family and continuing to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to her children.
Joan "Meme" was the rock of her family-deeply loved and deeply depended on. She raised six children and was the proud grandmother of 15 and great-grandmother of 23. Holidays and gatherings in her home were joyful events, filled with love and laughter. Her presence made every occasion special.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Huey, Lynn, and Peggy; her spouses Jack Phillips, Robbie Shadowens, and the love of her life, Bob Harris; her son, Robert "Knotty Head," a loss she grieved for the rest of her life.
She is survived by her siblings Carolyn and Hiram "Hot Shot," and by her children:
Deena and husband Donnie Dudley, Jackie and husband Jim Lansdale, Robert (deceased) and wife Candace Harris, Joe and wife Melissa Harris, Kenneth and wife Melanie Harris, Jennifer Harris and partner Dena Arendall
Her cherished grandchildren: Kim, Michele, Donna, Renae, Joanna, Josh, Jordan, Jake, Will, Grace, Jody, Kaylee, Zoye, Gus, and Woodrow; and 23 beloved great-grandchildren: Hunter, River, Summer, Riley, Bria, Milo, Sheamus, Eleanor, Jasper, Amelia, Abram, Jake, Jonah, Noah, Kip, Clint, Harper, Reagan, Tripp, Journey, Roxie, Judson, and Lawson.
Pallbearers are Ricky Bagley, Toby Clabaugh, Bo Sharpe, Eddie Marshall, Casey Bagley, and Troy Jones. Honorary Pallbearers are grandsons Josh, Jake, Jody, Will, Gus, and Woodrow.
A special thank you to her long-time caregivers Lori Cordova, Tracie Mosley, Kathrine Chhor, Tracey Haney, Bailey O'Bryan, Tammy Delk, Savannah Gomez, Alisha West, Kylie Voet, and Shirley Williams.
Joan's life was one of unwavering love, courage, and boundless strength. She was the one her family turned to in both celebration and sorrow-a steady, guiding presence through the seasons of life. Though her breath has stilled, her legacy lives on in the generations she nurtured and loved.
Her spirit remains with us-fierce, compassionate, and forever in our hearts.
An online guestbook may be signed at: www.hawthornfuneralhome.com