Joan K. Shaw

April 4, 1930 – June 26, 2019

After a long illness, Joan Katherine Shaw died in the company of her family at her beloved home in Lewiston, Utah, on June 26th, 2019, at the age of 89.

Joan was born in Camden, New Jersey on April 4, 1930, the second daughter of Anna Katherine (Vaughn) Mossman and John Handibo Mossman.

The Great Depression took a toll on her family, and at one point the family was reduced to living in migrant worker camps. During the preparations for WWII, her father was able to return to his profession of shipbuilding, but the improvement in the family’s situation was brief as tuberculosis took his life in 1939. Three years later Joan’s mother died as well. From age 12 to 18 Joan lived in multiple foster homes, the last being with a woman she came to love, whom she called “Aunt Flo.”

Joan had often said that singing – she had a powerful soprano voice – and her ability to find beauty in small things, helped her survive her childhood. After graduating from Gloucester High School, Joan took classes in typing, French, and dancing. In 1950 she met Robert S. Koerner at a dance and a few months later they were married. Joan and Bob had four children: Bobbyanne, Melissa, Scott, and Ethalinda. After this marriage ended, Joan married Alan W Shaw in 1962. Joan and Alan had two children together: Melanie and Jonathan.

Alan paved the way for Joan to fulfill a long-time dream to attend college, as Joan possessed the proverbial “hungry mind.” She earned a BS and MS in English from Utah State University in 1973, then stayed at USU, serving as editor for the College of Natural Resources and Utah State University Extension Office for many years. During her time at USU she worked to improve the working conditions, salaries, and opportunities for women in academia. Both Alan and Joan fulfilled another life-long dream, when they bought a small farm in Lewiston in 1970. Together they built a large garden, a new barn, and an orchard of specialty apples.

Joan was a voracious reader, a published author and prolific letter-writer, and an accomplished gardener. Joan was devoted to her husband Alan, and to her children. She was a caring person who mothered many adults and children, and even animals. She nurtured and enjoyed the company of a parade of cats, dogs, lambs, chickens, and a Jersey milk cow. She spent her last years reading, cuddling her cats, and admiring her garden through the windows, cared for by Alan, Melanie, and Lora Lewis, a dear family friend.

Joan is survived by her husband of 57 years, Alan; by her children, Bobbyanne Koerner (Dan Clark), Melissa Koerner (Bob Hensen), Scott Koerner, Ethalinda Koerner-Shaw Cannon (Steven), Melanie Shaw and Jonathan Shaw (Holly); and her grandchildren Andrew Pace (Judy Cheang, daughter Korra), Thomas Pace (Sofia Nystrom), Michelle McAdams (Jason; children Jack, Elle, Michael), Logan Hauenstein (Jody Bell; children Tate and Calla), Linden Kincaid (Chris; children Riley and Conner), Duncan Hauenstein (Betsy; children Rhys and Noel), Adam Koerner (Maria, children Gabriel and Violet), Blake Koerner, Nathan Koerner, Austin Shaw, and Allison Shaw. She was predeceased by her sister, Elizabeth Higgenbotham, and her first husband, Robert S. Koerner.

Sunset Valley was entrusted with the care and cremation of Joan’s body, as she requested. A memorial service will be held for Joan at St. Johns Episcopal Church on Monday, July 15, 2019 at 2:30pm.

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