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When reflecting on the life of Joan Stafford, words such as gracious, hardworking, and resourceful come to mind, however, perhaps what she will remembered for most is the way she was the heartbeat of her family. She was a woman of faith who was deeply devoted to people and things she believed in, and although she was a women of many talents she was so very humble by nature. A devoted wife and mother, Joan was filled with unspeakable joy to witness her family tree blossom to include numerous branches of loved ones who made her so very proud. Life will never be the same with out her here, but Joan leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that her loved ones will forever cherish.
The 1930's in America were greatly defined by the Great Depression. Jobs were hard to come by, the unemployment rate soared, and countless American families lost their homes. Despite the great hardship around them, Harold and Frances(Raderstorf) Dille were filled with joy to announce the birth of the healthy baby girl the named Joan in the thick of winter on January 17,1938. Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, she was the youngest of three children as was raised alongside her older brothers, Louis and Junior. Joan also had a sister named Mary who died in infancy.
In many ways, Joan was a young girl of her generation. The Dille family certainly felt the strain of the times as the struggled to make ends meet. Joan's father was a stone mason while her mother raised collies and worms to help supplement the family income. It was from her mother that Joan learned her lifelong love of animals. She attended local schools and went on to graduate from Riley High School.
New and exciting changes were in store for Joan when she met the young man of her dreams. His name was Ernest Stafford, and he was five years her senior. The couple met on a double date, however, they were not paired up with one another that evening! Sparks flew right from the start, and they were soon dating. With a desire to establish a life together, Joan and Ernest were married May 4, 1957. He soon got a job in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is what brought them to the area. It was very difficult for Joan to leave her mother, but it ended up being a very good thing as it provided Joan with the opportunity to see a completely new world. Together Joan and Ernie welcomed four children into their hearts and home including Michael, Patrick, Lori, Lisa, In 1966 the moved their growing family into the home they built on Sandy Cove, and this was the place Joan called home for the rest of her life.
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1938 - 2015 (77 years)
