Joan Marie (Weber) Taipale

Joan Marie (Weber) Taipale was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

Joan was the daughter of Walter and Irene Weber. Raised in Hibbing, Minnesota, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. Joan was raised with one younger brother, Larry.

Joan attended Ohio State University. She was a lifelong learner, always interested and willing to try something new.

She married Denis G. Taipale in 1960, and traveled to several states, taking part in many activities as a Navy Officer’s wife. They divorced in 1978.

She was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Joan was blessed with Four children, One son, Steve, and three daughters, Jan, Chris, and Tricia. She was also blessed with Five grandchildren, Christa, Nicole, Zach, Nich, and Madison (plus everyone who they ever brought to her house - she welcomed everybody!)

Her primary occupation was in education. She was employed for many years at Sunnyside Elementary School as an RSP aide. During that time, Joan was a tutor to many children, helping them after school. She retired in 2004. Throughout the years, Joan was a Girl Scout Leader. She also volunteered for many activities her children were involved with.

Her favorite pursuits were reading, music, puzzles, birds, and all things Harry Potter (so much so that her family joked that Daniel Radcliffe was her favorite grandchild). She also enjoyed watching her favorite sports teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, Padres baseball, curling, and the Olympics. Her Favorite vacations included Minnesota at her parent’s home on Lake Pokegama in the summer. Her children are forever amazed that she would travel alone through airports with four small children with luggage that had no wheels!

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Joan. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, since 1972.

Joan passed away on February 6, 2022 at her home in Bonita, California from natural causes. She is survived by her children Steve Taipale, Janet Taipale, Christine Ayala (Art), and Tricia Cauthen (Jeff), and grandchildren Christa, Nicole, Zachary, Nicholas, and Madison, and her brother, Larry Weber (Joanne). Services will be in the Little Chapel of the Roses at Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California on April 7, 2022 at 11:30 am.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Joan was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Joan was a trustworthy, pragmatic, and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Joan Taipale was one of the kindest, strongest, most loving, most selfless, most generous people you could ever meet. We wish her bright light could have shined a little longer on the Earth. She will be greatly missed.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glenabbeysandiego.net for the Taipale family.