Joan GULLICKSON

1931 - 2022

Spokane - Joan Gullickson mother, wife, teacher, sister, grandmother, aunt, friend. Joan was born in 1931 and passed away on November 14, 2022, in Westlake Village, CA with family at her side. She was a woman of strong Catholic faith; was steadfast, loyal, and prayed diligently to keep us kids off the road to hell. She was raised in Minnesota by her father and grandmother and graduated from Hamline University in St Paul. She and her future husband, Clayton, met in Yellowstone Park at the Old Faithful Lodge. She was a waitress, he was a bellboy. Post-WWII 1950s Montana was pristine; times were good and the future was bright. Joan and Clay were married in 1954 in Wenatchee, WA at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Jean and "Lud" Ludwick. This established an ongoing close relationship between the two families which centered around Thanksgiving trips to each other's home and summer trips to Lake Chelan and Lake Coeur d'Alene. Clay and Joan began their married life together in Glasgow MT, named recently as the farthest place in the United States from "anywhere", making it officially in the middle of nowhere. They made lifelong friends and created many memories involving dinner clubs, book clubs, investment clubs, cocktail parties, and surviving the cold. They kept these activities a part of their lives even after leaving Montana. In 1968, the family of six moved to Spokane. While the kids were in school, Joan and Clay were very involved in the Hutton Elementary PTA, and with Our Lady of Fatima Church for over 50 years. It took her a while, but she converted Clay to Catholicism; she was a very focused and patient woman. We believe it ranked right up there with having kids. For decades, Joan was a primary grade school teacher at Adams Elementary, earning professional teaching awards and the love, devotion, and respect of both students and colleagues. She was an inspiration to many of her students. She loved teaching and made a difference in her student's lives. To each and every one of her former students who made it a point to say hello to her later in life, thank you! She cherished those moments and always shared them. She enjoyed cooking, canning, and gardening. Her strawberry jam was legendary and we kids still have scars from weeding her gardens. Joan stayed connected to her many friends and family members through beautifully, hand-written notes, that will be treasured forever. Joan found great joy with her grandchildren; she always had time and undivided attention for them. A wicked card player, she taught us (most) of her secrets to a winning hand, starting as early as we could hold the cards. Joan kept the greeting card industry very busy; she had a knack for finding the most obscure and sappy card for any and all occasions. Joan was preceded in death by her husband and sister; the last of that generation on both sides of the family. She was also preceded in death by her son, Tom, and daughter-in-law, Catherine. She was a breast cancer survivor. She is survived by her children, Jeff, Mary (Mike), and John (Andrea), and her nine grandchildren: Anna (Scott), Benjamin, Peter, and Conrad; Tyler and Brooklyn; Matt, Mark, and Jack. Also, her nephew Jack and niece Peggy, children of Jean and Lud. We will all miss her presence and practical wisdom. Next spring, we will hold her final Mass at Fatima followed by a graveside service. Remembrances can be made to The Catherine Bigelow Memorial Scholarship Fund benefiting the University of Portland School of Nursing at: http://giving.up.edu/Catherine.