Joan Sheppard Sanders was born on Valentine’s Day in 1929, the much wanted and only child of Ernest and Mary (Carney) Sheppard. She grew up in a home filled with love and unending creative projects in Pennington, New Jersey. The photo album holds countless photos of family activities and of Joan around the pool and near flower beds posing in beautiful dresses worn to school dances. Not shown in the album was the Great Depression, a backdrop to her childhood which brought challenges to the family and taught her how to accept hardship and make the most of things.

Joan attended the Abington Hospital School of Nursing, and as an RN she enjoyed working in the nursery at Mercer Hospital in Trenton, NJ. Her nursing school classmates became close lifelong friends. Life came full circle as during the last day of Joan’s life she was cared for by student nurses at the hospital.

She married Walter Edward Sanders, the love of her life, and they had three children. Lisa (John Palise), Walter Edward Sanders III (called Wes) and Lynn (Derek Houston d.1996, Tony Fanelli). They moved to a 120-year-old stone farmhouse outside of Newtown, Pennsylvania to raise their family.  Life became very challenging again in the 1970s when Wes was killed in an accident at the age of fifteen, and in 1975 when Joan, Walt and Lynn had to move away from family to Michigan for Walt’s work.

For Joan, family always came first and friends a close second. Most vacations were spent traveling east to visit with family and friends. While there, Joan and Walt always managed to spend some time relaxing at the New Jersey seashore. Between visits, much of Joan’s time was spent writing and receiving letters because phone calls were so costly at that time.

Years later, Joan and Walt had the good fortune to live near their grandchildren Amelia Skye Houston Fanelli and William Edward Fanelli. They were delighted to play a close and active role in their lives. School pick-ups, pizza dinners on Saturday nights, never missing a swim meet, play or musical performance - it was what they loved to do most.

When widowed in 2006,  Joan came more fully into her own. Always a thinker, as her life continued she proved to be bright and capable and full of ideas. She learned about the issues of a world very different from the small town she grew up in and responded to those issues based on her love and respect for others. At the age of 93, she completed a weeklong program of climate change activities during which she contacted her U.S. Representative to voice her concerns.

On a lighter note, she loved playing games. Although she would join in just about any game, in recent years her passion was for the game of Rummikub. Even during this past year with very low vision and great pain she could make it to the table for a round or two. She was a lifelong avid reader who spent many hours in recent years enjoying audio books provided by the Oakland Talking Book Service. She was also known for sticking to a sparse nutritious diet complimented by then eating more cake and ice cream than anyone could imagine such a little woman could eat. She provided a loving home to a number of rescued kitties, most recently the infamous Nina.

Throughout her life, she was an exceptionally happy, accepting, and positive individual. Her love was immense. Although a small and quiet woman, her love and support made her a rock for her family and friends.

A service in celebration of Joan’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1st, at Greenfield Presbyterian Church, 2312 Greenfield Road in Berkley.

Memorial donations can be made to support the Oakland Talking Book Service housed at the Rochester Hills Public Library. This free service provides audio devices, materials and support to visually impaired residents of Oakland County. Please make sure to clearly specify OTBS on any contribution.