Joan RLou Perikly

Joan Perikly of Scottsdale, Arizona died November 12, 2023. Joan lived most of her life in the Scottsdale area. Born in Detroit, Michigan on November 27, 1932, she moved to the Valley in 1959 with her young family. She was a devoted member of St. Katherine's Greek Orthodox Church in Chandler, Arizona and Joan loved the culture and food of Greece. She loved volunteering at the Church's annual Greek Food Festival and could always be found in the pastry booth when she was not doing a Greek dance with her friends.

When Joan was a young girl her parents moved from Detroit to Toledo, Ohio where she attended DeVilbiss High School. One of her younger classmates was Jamie Farr of Mash fame. While still in school, she was swept off her feet by Paul Perikly and soon after they met, they married. Because she was not yet eighteen, they had to travel to Michigan and were married by a Justice of the Peace. Their marriage lasted seventy years until her husband's passing in 2021.

Joan spent most of her early married years as a homemaker and later as a part-time aide at a Scottsdale elementary school. She loved being around young children and always looked forward to her time there.

Joan's many activities included bowling - she was a member of a bowling league for over twenty years and had an average above 180. She also loved playing cards, particularly pinochle and always looked forward to their semi-weekly games. Another activity that she took up a bit later in life was golf.

One of her favorite things to do though was travel, accompanied by her three faithful travel companions, Lulla, Kay and Catherine. Together they enjoyed cruises to Hawaii, Greece, and the Caribbean, as well as a riverboat cruise out of Branson, Missouri.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Winifred Born of Tempe, Arizona, her brother Fred Born of Toledo, Ohio, and her sister Pauline Dekam, of Scottsdale, Arizona Joan is survived by her son Michael Perikly (Patti) of Chandler, three grandchildren, Chris Perikly of Pinetop, Heidi Coleman (Damien) of Cave Creek and Kristina Perikly (Jordan Riley) of Savannah, Georgia, four great-grandchildren, Tasha Niziolek (Austin), Bella Coleman, Dane and Jordan Perikly, and one great-great-grandchild, Airabella Niziolek.

A funeral service for Joan will be held Monday, November 27, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 11:00AM at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 2716 N Dobson Rd, Chandler, AZ 85224.

Following the funeral service will be a graveside service from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Valley of the Sun Mortuary, 10940 East Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85248. After the graveside service there will be a Makaria (mercy meal) at the Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 2716 N. Dobson Road, Chandler, AZ 85224.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at valleyofthesunfuneralhome.com for the Perikly family.