Joan M. Sprake

Joan M. Sprake, 86, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at her home in Seattle after a short bout with cancer. She was born on May 3rd, 1929 in Seattle to Glenn & Anna Jeanette Morse. Joan grew up in the Montlake District and attended Garfield High School and the University of Washington where she met her soon-to-be fiancé, William T. Sprake (Bill) upon his return to Engineering school at the UW and after having served in WWII in the Navy.

Joan and Bill lived for a short time in California and then settled in North Seattle where she enjoyed a large extended family through her parents, Sister Nancy, and Bill's family. Joan was active at her children's school and participated for many years in a Children's Orthopedic Hospital Guild. She often spoke fondly of the family vacations at Hood Canal where clams were easily found among the Pebbles at Pebble Shore.

After raising four children, (3 boys was quite a chore), Joan went to work at the University of Washington and while there introduced her son Tim to his spouse Jan. After working at the UW for many years she retired and joined the family firm CM&M, founded by her husband. Following Bill's passing in 2010, Joan lived in her condominium in the Northgate area, working part-time with Steve and Paula and Nancy at CM&M, taking aerobics classes, attending senior movie nights at the local community center, caring for neighbors, enjoying lunches with her ladies.

Joan was a third generation Seattleite having grown up in Montlake. She is survived by and will be deeply missed by her four children Stephen, Timothy, William, and Paula, their spouses, Deborah, Jan, Marilyn and Richard Torgeson, and her sister Nancy Stoner. Joan was blessed with grandchildren Angie, Kelly, Dan, Shelby and Sam and great grand children Sophia, Tyler, Carter, and Bryce.

Joan's children say that both parents were instrumental in shaping their lives and in influencing the lives of others who met and came to know them. They say that their father taught them how to think critically, and that Joan taught them how to love deeply.