Joan Catherine Droz

Memorial Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85024 where she will be interred next to her husband, Mitchell Droz, a Navy Veteran.

Joan Catherine Graettinger was born in Graettinger, Iowa in September 1934, daughter of Fred and Francis Graettinger. She was the youngest of three children. Joan graduated from Graettinger High School in 1953.

Joan relocated to Phoenix, AZ where she worked in banking. She met Edwin David Palmgren, a Captain and pilot in the USAF, who was currently serving as "slot" position with the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Team. They married in 1956.

As a military wife, Joan traveled to many places. In 1957 she gave birth to Pamela in Las Vegas and 1960 to Christine in Tripoli, Libya, North Africa.

In 1968, they resided at Nellis AFB, NV. Ed's F-111 plane went down while serving a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was MIA for 4 years until 1972, where he then was declared deceased. Joan moved back to Phoenix, AZ with her two daughters.

In 1979, she married Mitchell Droz. They had many happy years together traveling and enjoying their friends and family until Mitch's death in 2002.

In 2004, Joan moved to Scottsdale, AZ where she resided at the Vi at Grayhawk Retirement Community.

Joan's daughter, Christine, predeceased her in 2013.

Joan's quiet strength and quick wit will be missed. She was loved by her family and the many friends who knew her.

Joan is survived by her daughter Pamela (Bruce) of Peoria, AZ and their children David (Amber) of Clearfield, UT, Sydney (James) of Gilbert, AZ, Michael (Claire) of Mesa, AZ and grandchildren Liam, Lily, Lucy, and Luke, and her stepdaughter Paula (Scott) of Boise, ID, and their children Natalia (Mick) of Laguna Beach, CA, Coleman of Boise, ID, and her stepdaughter Randi of Boise, ID, with her children Karilynn of Boise, ID, Emily (Zach) of Chicago, IL and grandchildren Maggie, Smith, Lila and Violet.

In lieu of flowers donation can be made to a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.phoenixmemorialmortuary.com for the Droz family.