Joan was born to Earl Raymond and Hannah Lucinda (Smith) Miller in the small town of Hawk Springs, Wyoming, on April 18, 1933. While in Jr. High School, her family moved to Long Beach, CA, where she graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1951.
After graduation, she attended Reno’s Beauty College. During this time, she met her future husband, Burt Fisher. They married on June 7, 1953, and were married for 28 years before she became a widow at the young age of 48.
Joan & Burt bought their home in Westminster, CA, where they raised their 3 daughters, Debbie, Carol & Nancy. She lived a full life and knew her neighbors well. She loved many of the neighborhood children as her own, and many considered her a second mom. Joan loved to knit, sew (she sewed many of the clothes for her daughters and their Barbie dolls), and do many other crafts. She was baptized in 1977 and became an active member of the West Anaheim Church of Christ. She loved her church family & her home was always open for one of the many teen gatherings her children sprung on her at the last minute.
Joan had many careers during her lifetime. She began as a hairdresser before choosing to stay home to raise her children full-time. She then worked in many capacities at V.K. Boos Elementary School while her children attended, and later worked as a health aide in multiple elementary schools in the Westminster School District. Following her husband's death, she took a second full-time job as an IC chip lab technician at Hughes Aircraft Company in Newport Beach, CA. She retired from both jobs in 1998 and moved to Victoria, TX, where she remained until her death.
Her life in Victoria was filled with time spent with her family. She loved reading her newspaper, traveling, receiving phone calls, and opening her mail to find photos or cards. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren whenever possible and enjoyed watching them grow up. She was an active member at the Glasgow Street Church of Christ in Victoria for many years and was currently a member at the Yoakum Church of Christ.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Earl & Hannah Miller; her siblings, Dorothy Spigner, Earleen Larson, Joyce Jones & William Miller; and her husband, Barney Burt Fisher.
She is survived by her daughters: Debbie Aldridge (Randy), Carol Donovan (John) & Nancy Gohmert (Larry);vher grandchildren: Amy Dulak (David), Megan Linebarger (Joe), Chelsea Davis, Danielle Copeland (Ben), Heather Glass (Grant), Jacob Hutchison (Katie), Zachary Hutchison and Star Donovan; and her great grandchildren June Dulak, Hannah Copeland, Adam Copeland, Noah Copeland, Ezra Copeland, Emma Glass, Kayden Hutchison, Jane Hutchison and Kyle Hutchison, and many nieces and nephews who love her dearly.
A Celebration of Life will be held on May 4, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Rosewood Funeral Chapel in Victoria, TX.
