Joanna graduated from Central High School in 1946. She began her bachelor’s degree at the University of Oklahoma and finished at Oklahoma City University. She worked at the Health Sciences Center doing microbiology research, for many years.
Joanna loved studying her family’s genealogy and did so before having the convenience of the internet.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Willard Burns; and sister, Ruth Elmore. She is survived by her beloved husband; son, William Neilson & wife Yvonne; daughter, Vicki Baker & husband Randall; grandsons, Jason Watson and Travis Downs; granddaughters, Michelle Neilson and Katie Kamphaus & husband Ben; and many other family members and friends.
Visitation will be 12pm to 8pm, Sunday, at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 10am, Monday, November 21, 2011, at Memorial Park Historic Cemetery Chapel with interment to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.
