JoAnn was born on November 19, 1932 in Boone, IA to Kenneth and Ethel (Wester) Sawyer. She attended Roosevelt High School, and later, she pursued her studies at Colorado Women’s College in Boulder, CO. She was a legislative assistant for the Iowa Legislature.
On May 14, 1955, she was united in marriage to Mark C. Leachman, and they were together for 53 years. In this union, they had a son and a daughter, Mark and Andrea.
JoAnn was a member of the P.E.O. of Des Moines. She enjoyed golfing, and she was a member of the Des Moines Golfing Country Club. She also enjoyed dining out, fishing and gardening. JoAnn loved to vacation in Cancun, Mexico, and taking trips to her lake house in Hot Springs Village, AR.
She is survived by her son, Mark Leachman and grandson, Austin (Brenna) Leachman of Des Moines, IA; great-granddaughter, Kinsley; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Mark Leachman, Sr.; and daughter, Andrea Leachman.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association and St. Jude’s Children Hospital.
JoAnn was loved by her family and will be greatly missed.
