Obituary of Joan M. Mickelson

Joan Marie Mickelson Joan Mickelson, wife of William Mickelson, mother of six children, Michael, Julie, Tammi, Robert, Dawn and James, died on Sunday, March 1. Joan who was at her home with her husband Bill and sister Jeanie Kafar, whom had come from Boscobel WI to help care for her since January, passed quietly in her sleep in Olympia, WA. Her other two sisters, Jan Geistlinger and Jayme Brown were also nearby having flown in from Louisiana and Texas to help celebrate her 69th birthday on Saturday. Joan could often be found at home watching American Idol (rumor has it she alone is responsible for this season's reduction in votes by 20,000) or at Farrelli's counter playing pull tabs, or working on her many word search puzzles surrounded by her extensive Elvis Presley collections. Those closest know of her legendary calendars; this is where one could find the first snow of 1999, the coldest days in 2005, her grandchilden's first teeth, any major car accidents in the family, the birthdays of everyone she knew and even the date that friends and family members passing like her brother Joel Hubbs. The first entry for March 2009, Bill noted for her on the calendar, "Joan Mickelson passed 2009." Joan was born on February 28, 1940 in Huron, South Dakota to her father Robert and mother Myrtle. She was followed by her brother Joel, and then sisters Janet, Jean and Jayme. She was married to her first husband in 1958 and had her first two children; Michael and Julie. After her divorce in 1960 Joan moved to California and married her second husband followed by two more children Tammi and Robert, it was during this time she lost her father Robert to cancer. After her divorce from her second husband, Joan and her mother were in a car accident that took her beloved mother, Myrtle's life in 1970. It was not long afterward that she met the love of her life, Bill. After Dawn was born, Joan and Bill, bought their first house in the Pacific Northwest, moving all the children to Roy , Washington in 1976, their son James was born shortly afterward. Joan and Bill started Chestnut Hill Construction after buying and moving into a pretty hillside property in SE Olympia which kept them both busy as the nest emptied and the family grew to include son and daughter-in-laws, grandchildren and recently great grandchildren. Indeed, their 4th of July parties were legendary and family portraits becoming almost too big for their little digital cameras. Joan Mickelson beloved wife and mother leaves behind her children; Mike and Leslie Keesee, Julie Nielsen, Tammi Keesee and Curtis Cassidy, Robert and Kelimaria Keesee, Dawn Gainey, and James Mickelson, her grandchildren; Jessica Bell, Daniel Nielsen, Jessica Keesee, Donovan Nielsen, William Keesee, Jesse Keesee, Jennifer Weyrauch, Christopher Weyrauch, Justin Cassidy and great grandchildren; Addison Bell, Payton Moore and Mackenzie Nielsen. To leave a condolence for the family, click on View Guestbook below: