Joan Rondas

1929 - 2025

Joan Richardson Rondas

1929 - 2025

West Valley City, Utah-Joan Richardson Rondas, beloved wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, great great grandma, was born Feb. 2, 1929 and passed away in her home Oct. 3, 2025 at age 96. Joan is survived by 9 of her 10 children. She was preceded in death by her husband Pete, her son Shane, and her 4 siblings. Pete and Joan had 25 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.

Joan was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she remained after marrying her high school sweetheart, Pete, who swept her off her feet at the tender age of 17. They both loved children and planned from the start to have 'many'. Their marriage spanned nearly 78 years, and was a beautiful example of commitment, respect, and deep abiding love for God and family.

Blessed with gifts of extraordinary character and remarkable talents, Joan faithfully used these to benefit others. She loved children and especially had a heart for women and children in need. She used her skills and resources to contribute to those specific causes.

Joan loved art and had a creative side herself. She was an amazing seamstress who skillfully tackled any project, whether for her own family, or for some special need. Other artistic pursuits included crocheting and knitting colorful afghans and quilts that were prized by her children and grandchildren. Joan made every holiday and birthday a special occasion, celebrated with family fun and involvement, creating traditions within the family that are still honored and loved today. Music was another source of artistic enjoyment for Joan, both classical and Country, with a special fondness for Willie Nelson!

Gardening was one of Joan's greatest joys! She loved nurturing flowers and plants of all kinds, as well as the creatures they attracted, especially birds, hummingbirds, butterfly's. When she could no longer do the gardening herself, she could still take in the beauty of her gardens and their creatures from her kitchen chair which faced the serene beauty of her backyard.

An avid reader of both fiction and non fiction, Joan developed a well-rounded knowledge that made her the sought after partner in family Trivial Pursuit games! Her reading also stirred a desire for world travel, a dream shared by Pete and a daughter and son-in-law, and fulfilled by 20 years of exciting annual trips to Europe, Canada, and parts of the U.S. As Joan began traveling, she challenged herself to study the languages of their travel destinations. She approached this task with the same curiosity, energy and determination she gave to every project, spending hours listening, writing, and practicing, using formal study aids and her own hand-made "flash cards" to bolster her skills. Italy became her favorite country and language!

The years of travel for the foursome ended when Pete developed dementia, and Joan began a long and difficult journey of caring for her beloved husband at home. Joan's selfless and unconditional love and unwavering commitment enabled Pete to stay at home to the very end.

We'd like to say "thank you Mom"……You were always there for each of us with your endless love, support, wisdom and encouragement. You were our rock and our compass!

The family would like to acknowledge and thank those who provided such loving care and medical assistance to Joan the last few months of her life. Working along side her daughters, the Hospice care givers and Visiting Angels provided compassionate care, comfort, and advice that gave us all peace of mind.