Joan Marjorie Bertrand

Joan was born December 28th, 1928 in Kankakee, Illinois to Vernon and Genevieve Fortier. She was the oldest of 4 children. Her father built their two story tudor style house during the depression that as a child Joan referred to as their ‘castle’, which is now a landmark in Kankakee.

Joan attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church with her family, an ‘all girl’ St Joseph Seminary Elementary and High School. She attended 2 years college at the ‘all girl” St Francis College in Joliet, Illinois. During her high school years, she worked at Bear Brand Hosiery Factory as well as St Mary’s Hospital in the lab drawing blood, a job she remembers fondly. She imagined getting a job in obstetrics after graduation.

In her last year of high school she met her future husband, Meryl. It was during World War II and Meryl was just entering the Navy. After his discharge they were married in November 1948. Over the next 12 years Joan gave birth to 5 boys and 4 girls, and the 10th child arrived 7 years later.

Joan and Meryl built their 1st home in Kankakee, then Meryl was transferred to Kansas City, Missouri for his job. They built their 2nd home in Gladstone Missouri where they lived for 23 years. They attended St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church and between 1958 and 1981 the 10 children attended Elementary School there. During those years Joan joined the Ladies Circle group in the parish and did charitable works for those in the area. In later years. Joan volunteered at St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City Missouri. She and Meryl also enjoyed playing on league bowling teams, took Square Dance Lessons, and during summer months the family took our traditional trip back to their hometown Kankakee to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as car road trips with kids to National Parks out west.

In 1981, Meryl was transferred again for work to Wichita, Kansas which was especially hard for Joan. All but one of their children were out of high school, some were married with children and Joan loved her grandbabies! Again, Joan found community in her neighborhood, their church and volunteering at both St. Francis Hospital and Wesley Hospital in Wichita. She joined bridge clubs and enjoyed visits from grandchildren. In January 1990 Meryl was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and after months of fighting it, Meryl passed in September 1991. After almost 43 years of marriage to the love of her life, she was a widow with no family living close by, so she sold their house and moved back to Overland Park, Kansas, closer to most of her children and growing grandchildren. She continued to travel to states where a few of her children moved, as well as visiting her siblings and Meryl’s family all in the Chicago area, and her many friends from all the places they lived. She became an avid reader, hooked on crossword puzzles, and ladies bridge club. There she met friends, and they began to plan trips to travel around Europe and took bus tours to sights in and around the Midwest.

She began staying longer with her grown children and finally when it became too difficult to live alone, Joan sold her home and moved in with her daughter and son in law in Tonganoxie, Kansas. In spite of growing Alzheimer’s Disease, she enjoyed the love of her large family and sharing stories of her long and mostly unforgettable life. Joan passed away at home in Tonganoxie with family at her side.

She was preceded in death by: her husband, Meryl Bertrand, parents, Vernon and Genevieve Fortier, brother James Fortier, two grandsons, Nicholas Bertrand and Teddy Luaders.

She is survived by: sister Jacqueline Fortier, brother Father Joel Fortier, 10 children: Paul Bertrand (Kay), Diane (Bertrand) Adams (Mike), Amy (Bertrand) Ubben (Keith), David Bertrand (Pam), Michelle (Bertrand) Myers (Steve), Jerome Bertrand, Joel Bertrand (Don), Father Vincent Bertrand, Julie (Bertrand) Sztorch (Joe), Mark Bertrand (Amy); and 25 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren.