Joan Robie

WRIGHTSVILLE Joan Hake Robie, 80, passed into the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on February 1, 2011, at Lancaster General Hospital following her admittance on January 26, 2011. Joan was born at Columbia Hospital to Carl William Hake and J. Helen Raver Hake. She was the first born and was followed by two surviving sisters, Janet Hake Bartch of Mountville and Nola Jean, wife of Albert Raumaldi of Hershey. Joan's paternal grandparents were John and Rosanne Berkheiser Hake of Wrightsville, Her maternal grandparents were John Stever and Jennie Kelley Raver of Columbia. Joan is survived by her husband of 56 years. Charles W. Robie. They met in Geneva, N.Y. Charles proposed in Marcellus, N.Y. They spent their early married years in Littlestown and Gettysburg. Two sons were born at the Gettysburg Hospital, delivered by her high school friend, Dr. Leah Maitland; David Allen, husband of Sharon Hanby of Lancaster and Daniel Keith, Md., husband of Rosemary of Jacksonville, Fla. The family also lived in Rockland County, N.Y., Lancaster and returned to Wrightsville in 1997. She is also survived by two grandsons, Joseph Blake and Daniel Keith, Jr. Joan attended Eastern Bible Institute, Green Lane, PA. Subsequently receiving her degree from the renamed Valley Forge Christian College. She pursued additional education at Nyack College, Nyack, N.Y., and St. Thomas Aquinas College in Blauvelt, N.Y. She was a regular substitute music teacher in the Rockland County School Systems. She also taught private piano and organ. In the early 1970s Joan became a certified Graphoanalyst. Joan also pursued a career in creative writing, while over a period of fifteen years she authored or co-authored fifteen plus books, the first being the autobiography of Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame. She introduced the first Christian Yellow Pages in the Lancaster/York area for Christians who wished to make it known that they were committed Christian business persons. In 1981 she founded Starburst Publishers, a publisher of Christian and inspirational books. More than 100 books were published. Joan was a no-nonsense Christian. Some referred to her as a WYSIWYG, "What You See Is What You Get." She believed that when you become "A Born Again Christian" your life changes. During the 1980s she made numerous appearances as an author on "People Are Talking" in Boston, Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia. She appeared on the Sally Jessie Raphael Show, Geraldo Rivera Show, and the Morton Downey, Jr. Show, among others. Joan made the Holy Bible her guide in life. Her favorite quotation was Proverbs 3: 5 & 6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy path." A funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Etzweiler Funeral Home, Inc. and Cremation Service, 700 Hellam St., Wrightsville. Officiating will be Pastor Calvin Wenger of Lancaster Church of the Brethren. A private family burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. A viewing will be one hour prior to service at the funeral home.Joan's husband wishes to thank all the medical personnel who attended to her needs prior to and while at LGH. The care and concern could not have been better. They helped to make her passing peaceful.Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association of South Central PA, 3544 N. Progress Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110. www.etzweiler.com