She was born on January 15, 1930 in a small parsonage in Meservey, Iowa to Andrew and Lydia Henning. She joined her three sisters, Julia, Bertha and Juanita in that small town as preacher’s kids. Their father’s pastorate took them to churches in Defiance and Ackley, Iowa.
After high school, Joanne attended Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa and the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1952, Joanne married Leslie A. "Mac" MacLean, in Ames, Iowa, while Leslie was attending Iowa State College. The couple later moved to Des Moines, Iowa where Leslie took a position with Insurance Company of North America, transferring to the Kansas City, MO and the Milwaukee, Wisconsin offices after that. It was here that they welcomed their sons, Michael and James, and daughter, Ann into the family. The family later moved to Cherry Hill, NJ when Leslie took a position in the home offices of CIGNA, in Philadelphia.
Always wanting to be active in her community and to help others in need, Joanne worked as a registered nurse in various hospitals and doctors office, but it was in Cherry Hill that she was asked to act as a music contributor in a preschool setting. She took on some early childhood courses at Rutgers University and continued in preschool teaching until Leslie’s retirement. It was at this time that the couple moved to Chesterfield, NH to make their retirement home.
Joanne found a place in the new Chesterfield Library where she continued working with preschool children. She also spent many years as co-director of Joan’s Food Pantry; volunteering an hour of piano music each week at Cedarcrest Center for Children in Keene; and as a substitute pianist for the Sunday afternoon church services at Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, NH.
As a member of the Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, VT, Joanne held several position at the church including as substitute organist; and she also served on the Board that founded the Brattleboro Centre for Children.
Joanne was named the Mt. Pistareen Grange citizen of the year in 2006; and in April of 2014, she was honored by the Chesterfield Lions Club with a Granite State Fellow for exceptional service to NH citizens. Joanne was also a finalist, twice, in the Pillsbury bake-off.
She will be greatly missed by many in her community, but more so by her three children, Michael A. MacLean of Paulsboro, NJ, James MacLean and his wife, Serena, of Walpole, NH, Ann Senoyuit and her husband, Michael, of Lansdale, PA; her grandchildren, Caitlyn MacLean, Erin Rose MacLean, James D. MacLean and his wife, Brianna, Allison MacLean, Mary Senoyuit and her husband, Clark Smal, Sarah Cronin and her husband, Joseph, Michael Senoyuit, Catherine Senoyuit, Nicholas Senoyuit, Paul Senoyuit; her great-grandchildren, Riley Clark, Norah Clark, Zoey MacLean, Elayna Smal, Sophia Smal; her sister, Juanita Baker of Morton Grove, IL; and many nieces, nephews and extended family members. Joanne was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Leslie, on May 9, 2011; and two sisters, Julia Carlander and Bertha Giere.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, August 20, 2021 at 1:00PM in the Centre Church, 193 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT. All those in attendance are required to war facemasks and to maintain the physical distancing protocols. Committal of the urns of Joanne and her husband, Leslie A. "Mac" MacLean will be held privately by the family in the Friedsam Cemetery, Chesterfield.
In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Mrs. MacLean’s memory to the Centre Congregational Church, c/o Rev. Dr. Scott E. Couper, Pastor, 193 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
