Obituary of Joan Marie Wilson

“I didn’t know so many knew my name”. These were the words that came from Joan Wilson as she was propped up in her recliner at home just days before her passing. After being diagnosed with peritoneal cancer, Joan requested to go home where she would spend her remaining time saying her goodbyes. Six days of receiving love from so many visitors, she passed away on October 23rd, 2020, surrounded by her family. Joan was loved and cherished by so many. On August 31st, 1940, Joan and her twin sister Judith were born to parents Luella and Donald Yaw in Mishawaka IN. Judith lived seven weeks before she passed on October 25th, 1940. Charlene “Chuckie” was welcomed to the family in 1947, and the sisters have been very closely connected. The family moved to Michigan in 1951, where her cousin Kenny was adopted into the family in 1956. Joan and Kenny graduated high school from Dowagiac Central (Union) in 1958. Being introduced by their respective mothers, Joan met and married Russell Wilson Jr. “Junior” in South Bend, IN on February 14th, 1960. The couple welcomed four children, Russell III, Marie (passed as an infant), Rebecca, and Ross. Tragedy struck the family when Russell “Junior” died on February 28th, 1975, leaving Joan to be the sole provider. Finally retiring from Sundstrand Heat Transfer Inc. when it sold in 1990, she moved to Plant City, Florida to care for her mother. There she lived and worked for 7 years before moving back to Michigan to care for her eldest son after his near-fatal accident. Semi-retired, Joan continued to work different jobs until fully-retired at age 65. Joan and her sister Charlene, being inseparable, created the Sisters’ Sale. Traveling around to estate sales and auctions, they would bring home truckloads of stuff which they would later get rid of via The Sisters’ Sale...just so they could go auctioning again! This went on for 11 years providing for both their respective families and so many others because they gave everything away for so little. True companionship came to Joan in the form of Floyd Roach after the death of his wife Mary in 2011. They courted for 2 years before Joan stated to Floyd “If you’re going to stick around, then we need to get married”. That was a strong enough hint for Floyd who asked her and they were married on August 24th, 2013, she was 72 years old. Joan was accomplished at crocheting and often made baby afghans and dish scrubbies to give them away to people who needed them. She was the most generous individual and loved helping others. She was a dedicated worker in all that she did and even though she was retired, was as busy as when she was employed. She was an active and dedicated member of Volinia Baptist Church, helping in the nursery, and was often found in the kitchen helping clean up after events. She also volunteered at the Hands Up Food Pantry bringing food to the needy. She was preceded in death by her twin sister; parents; daughter, Marie Wilson; first husband, Russell Wilson Jr; and adopted brother, Kenneth Yaw; and step-grandson, Nicholas Willard. Joan is survived by her second husband Floyd Roach of Dowagiac; children, Russell Wilson III of Dowagiac; Rebecca (Kenneth Cox) Wilson of Dowagiac, Ross (Danyelle) Wilson of Dowagiac; six grandchildren, Russell (Shawnice) Wilson IV, Autumn Russell, Mallory (Jason) Jackson, Alyssa Cox, Zachary (Gwen) Cox, Eagan Cox; six great-grandchildren, Easton Wilson, Liam Wilson, Emmry Russell, Parker Russell, Larkin Russell-Nugent, Norah Jackson; sister, Charlene (John) Waldschmidt of Dowagiac; and sister-in-law, Rose M. Yaw of Buchanan. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at the Volinia Baptist Church, 19526 Marcellus Hwy, Decatur, MI 49045, Pastor Thomas Stout officiating. A time of visitation will be held one hour prior. A private burial will follow at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions in her memory may be directed to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, 222 N Kalamazoo Mall #100, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 The family would like to thank Ascension Borgess of Kalamazoo, Hospice, and Brown Funeral Home for their care.