Joan Elizabeth Giles Rogan

The youngest of the four daughters of Emma Meyer Giles and John Ernest Giles, she was born in Gilman, Illinois on a Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1923. Known as Betty Jo in her childhood, she attended Gilman schools until her final years of high school, when she graduated from Joliet Township High School. She set off for the big city as Joan, and attended Gregg Business College in Chicago. She found employment at International Harvester Company, and remained there through the war years and beyond. Through mutual friends, she met William David Rogan, a New Orleans native and scion of an Illinois Central Railroad family, temporarily stationed in Chicago. They were married on August 19, 1950, at St. Bride’s Church in South Shore Chicago.

Their residence in Chicago was short-lived, however, as her new husband was soon transferred to Memphis, where they began their journey of life along the Illinois Central lines, building a family of six children in Louisville and then Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1971, the family again relocated- still with the railroad, but significantly off-line- on a grand adventure to Seattle, Washington. Though they travelled extensively from there in subsequent years, it was the terminal station for both Joan and her husband.

The family was stunned by the sudden loss of their Pop at age 72, but rallied to the occasion with an Irish wake and a railroad and Kentucky Derby-themed funeral service. To be assured of Joan’s attendance at a celebration of her life, she was feted for her 75th birthday with a Bluegrass band and barbecued mutton and burgoo imported from Owensboro. For her 80th birthday, she accompanied her eldest son on a round-the-world trek. She continued her travels domestically, and with the assistance of her daughter Beth, was able to maintain her independence until the very end.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents and three sisters: Vera Brayne of Brownsville, Texas, Ellice Giles and Margaret McMillan, both of Gilman. She suffered the loss of her husband in 1995, and of her daughter Kathleen Joan Rogan Jamieson in 2016.

She is survived by five children: William David Rogan, Jr., of Gilman, Patrick Giles Rogan (spouse Coral) of Renton, WA, Elizabeth Rogan Strandberg (spouse Gregg) of Newcastle, WA, John Elizardi Rogan (spouse Deepa) of Bellevue, WA, and Margret Rogan Main (spouse James) of Lansing, NC.

Joan is also survived by nine grandchildren: Benjamin Rogan, Justin Jamieson, Steven Jamieson, Kristen Jamieson, Lindsey Strandberg, Haley Strandberg, Katie Rogan, Liam Rogan, and Emma Rogan. She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews. She will be fondly remembered for her spirit of adventure, for her patience, kindness and generosity, and for the humor that always sparkled in her blue eyes.

A committal service for Joan will be held Tuesday, January 25, 2022 from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM at Sunset Hills Memorial Park, 1215 145th Place SE, Bellevue, WA 98007.

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