Joan Blakely

Joan Clarice Blakely was born June 3, 1934, in Seattle to Fred and Evelynne Simmons.

Her parents divorced and Joan and her mother moved to Wrangle, Alaska, for two years. As Joan became a teenager, they moved and settled in Spokane.

Joan was married to Burton Blakely in Spokane on June 20, 1956, at the age of 16. Burton was a member of the Air Force stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base and Joan became an Air Force wife for the next 20 years.

Typical of military life, the Air Force transferred the family from Fairchild to Merced, Calif., and then to Castle AFB, a Strategic Air Command Center. The Blakely family grew to include seven children, and Joan survived Burt’s deployments, managing her household as a stay-at-home-mom, but also serving as a school bus driver for a time.

Burton was medically retired from Castle Air Force Base. The family moved to Burton’s hometown of Chicago for a time and then returned to the Spokane area.

Joan began a career with Safeway, starting as a checker and advancing to management. In 1990, the Blakely family moved to Coupeville. Burton was disabled and Joan became his caregiver for 20 years. During this same time, she endured three bouts of cancer.

Joan transferred from Spokane to the Oak Harbor Safeway and then on to Mount Vernon, where she was the deli manager, a position she loved because she was working directly with her department staff. She retired from Safeway with 25 years of service.

Joan was from a broken home and a home without religion. When she married, her first priority was to build a strong family. She cared deeply for her husband and children. Her second priority came to her in a dream that she believed was sent from God; and that dream drew her to the Catholic faith. Her newfound faith became the second most important area of her life. She imparted that deep faith to her family.

Joan was a very active member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Coupeville, serving as lector, eucharistic minister, a member of the Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters, Our Lady of Guadaloupe, Legion of Mary and the Oak Harbor Emblem Club #450.

Joan was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt. She loved to shop, cook and organize, and enjoyed traveling. She also had a deep commitment to help those in need.

In early August, Joan’s love of travel took her on an Alaskan cruise. While on the cruise she suffered a fall and a traumatic head injury. She was flown from the cruise ship in Alaska to Harborview, but the injury was far too severe. She was brought back to her beloved home in Coupeville and her family and friends for her final days.

Joan is survived by her seven children, one half-sister and one half-brother. Her husband Burton preceded her in death in January, 2014.

A vigil service for Joan was held at Wallin Funeral Home on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Funeral mass was celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Coupeville, with Rev. Jerry Kinzle as celebrant. Rites of committal followed at Sunnyside Cemetery. Please visit Joan’s page in the Book of Memories at www.wall

infuneralhome.com to share memories and condolences.