Joan Marie Wright

Joan Marie Wright, 89, was welcomed into the presence of Jesus her Savior on August 13, 2025. Joan was born in Albia, Iowa on February 18, 1936, to Ralph Everett and Winifred May (Klingensmith) Orr. Joan grew up working alongside her parents in their small corner grocery store and meat market, OK Market, in Albia. She was an only child until the age of 9, when God answered her prayers and she was joined by her little shadow, her sister, Mary Lee. Joan attended school in Albia and attended 3 years at Central College in Pella. Obtaining her teaching certificate, she became a schoolteacher. She later furthered her education, graduating from Drake University in Des Moines. Joan's first teaching assignment in Adel, Iowa changed her life on multiple levels. There she met her sweetheart Bill, and there she fully understood the finished work of Jesus Christ on her behalf. She believed in Jesus as her Savior, who died in her place on the cross, receiving from Him forgiveness of sins and eternal life. She then joined Rapids Street Baptist Church in Adel (now SonRise Baptist) and grew in the Lord there. Joan and Bill married on May 29, 1959, and spent nearly 65 wonderful years together. Making their home in Marion, Iowa, God blessed them with three children: James, John, and Jane. Joan's primary focuses were her husband, children, home, and church. Joan also served regularly as a substitute elementary school teacher. In 1979, Joan and Bill moved to a small acreage in rural Swisher, Iowa, where they used their home for an amazing hospitality ministry, providing meals and lodging to countless missionaries, pastors, and other guests for nearly three decades. Shortly after moving to Swisher, Joan and Bill started Wright Appliance Service, operating out of their home for nearly 30 years. Joan handled all the scheduling, billing, and ordering, while Bill installed, serviced, and repaired the appliances in homes and businesses. They made the perfect team. Incredibly, Joan taught Sunday school for over 50 years. She faithfully served with her husband and family at Blair Ridge Baptist Church (formerly Galilee Baptist) in Cedar Rapids for many decades. In 2017, shortly after retiring, Joan and Bill moved into the addition built onto their daughter's home in Des Moines. Joan enjoyed spending time with her husband, her daughter and favorite son-in-law, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many other family and friends. She and Bill also enjoyed traveling to see their sons' families, and other family and friends, for as long as their health permitted. While in Des Moines, church family continued to be an important part of their lives, first serving where their son-in-law pastored (Northridge Baptist, Des Moines; SonRise Baptist, Adel), and lastly Maranatha Baptist, Grimes, with their daughter and son-in-law. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bill, and her brother-in-law Michael Koziol. Surviving Joan are her children, James (Debbie) Wright of Largo, Fla., John (Donna) Wright of St. Cloud, Minn., and Jane (Kevin) Subra of Des Moines, Iowa; her 21 grandchildren (Ethan, Kathryn, David, Shari, Benjamin, Dawn, Esther, Hannah, Nathan, Deborah, Elisabeth, Carissa, Susanna, Joshua, Stephen, Abigail, Mary, Makari, Daniel, Joseph, and Samuel), 11 grandsons-in-law, 3 granddaughters-in-law, and 37 great-grandchildren. Joan is also survived by her sister Mary Lee Koziol, nephew Scott, and nieces Kimberly and Michele, and their families. Memorials may be given to the Iowa churches Joan loved: SonRise Baptist, Adel; Blair Ridge Baptist, Cedar Rapids; Northridge Baptist, Des Moines; and Maranatha Baptist, Grimes. Visitation will be at 10 AM and the memorial service at 11 AM on August 22, 2025 at Maranatha Baptist Church, 877 SE 19th Street, Grimes, Iowa 50111. After a luncheon, burial will be at Oakdale Cemetery, Adel, Iowa. Funeral services provided by Caldwell Parrish of Urbandale.