Joan Carol Small
Visitation will be 10:00a.m.-11:00a.m. Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Hennessey Funeral Home in Missouri Valley, Iowa.
Funeral Service will follow at 11:00a.m.
Joan Carol
(Peterson) Small, age 81, passed away as a result of a stroke and went home to
be with Jesus on Friday, November 29, 2024, at Longview Nursing Home in
Missouri Valley, Iowa. She was born on November 16, 1943, in Persia, Iowa to
Donald and Margaret Peterson. Joan married Gary Small on June 4, 1962, at St.
Anne Church in Pisgah, Iowa.
Joan and Gary
were self-employed in the apple orchard and fruits/vegetables business, selling
wholesale and retail from their market along Highway 183 near Mondamin, Iowa.
Joan could always be found working in the market welcoming their customers with
her warm beautiful smile. Her happiness was contagious.
Joan, often
referred to as Joanie, loved to play all different card games, play bingo,
read, and in the early days, dance. She had her first massive stroke in 2002
when she immediately quit smoking and began her fascinating journey of health
and sickness over the next 22 years. Joan was strong-minded, determined, and
had an incredible will to live. She loved family parties over the years. Family
was everything to Joan, she would “will her way out of a hospital
stay”, to be able to join family events, weddings and holidays.
In February 2024
Joan and Gary went from independent living to being a part of the Longview
Nursing Home community. This last year Joan was fighting various health
conditions and spending more weeks in the hospital than not. She was a
“light of joy and happiness” and had an infectious smile that she
loved sharing with family and friends. She was kind, considerate, and respectful
to all, and willing to try anything to get better. We almost lost her in
September from blood clots that caused pulmonary failure. The staff at Lincoln,
Nebraska’s CHI Heart Hospital did surgery and helped her to feel better than
she had in years. To the staff there, we are truly grateful for giving us
another 3 months with her. No parties were enjoyed more by Joan than the few
days/nights of family coming to see her in Lincoln and telling stories of what
everyone remembered that was meaningful to the teller. We all had tears of
laughter! She enjoyed that so very much.
We also
acknowledge a heartfelt thank you to the staff of Generations Hospice and the
staff at Longview Nursing Home, who cared for her during her week of hospice
care. The grace, dignity, and love they gave to her, and to our family, will
never be forgotten.
Remaining to
cherish Joan’s life and memories are her Husband Gary Small, Daughter Lori Kirk
(Significant Other Rich Felt), Son Dave Small (Wife Jennifer Small), Son Ken
Small. Grandchildren Andrew Huff (Significant Other Phoebe Hornbeck-Gearhart),
Cassidy McCorkle (Husband Colton McCorkle), Deric Small (Wife Jessica Small),
Colton Small (Significant Other Charidy Kaiser), Jacob Small (Wife Maddie
Small), Caitlin Tompkins (Husband Allen Tompkins). 15 Great-Grandchildren.
Joan was preceded
in death by her Father Donald Peterson, Mother Margaret Peterson, Brother Teddy
Peterson, Daughter Susan Huff, and Great-Grandson Theodore Small.