Joan was born in Starbuck, MN, on April 28, 1934, to John and Olga Evjen. Her family grew up on Lake Minnewaska, where she loved to swim and worked as a lifeguard. She graduated from Starbuck High School and went on to attend St. Cloud Teachers College. She met her future husband, Bruce, in Minneapolis. They were married on July 13, 1957, at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck, MN. They later moved to Coon Rapids, where they raised four wonderful children together.
Joan had a teaching career spanning 30 years with the Anoka-Hennepin School District as a Title I Special Learning Disabilities teacher at Sand Creek and Crooked Lake Elementary Schools. During her retirement years, she enjoyed traveling across the country with her husband, Bruce; together they visited 47 of the 50 states. Jo also loved golfing with her girlfriends, reading, fishing, and tutoring her grandchildren. She was a devoted wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, aunt, cousin, and friend to many. She was the matriarch of the Skeie family and will be sorely missed by all.
Joan is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Bruce; children, Susan Skeie, Nancy Skeie, Pamela (Scott) Ulrich, and Michael (Krista) Skeie; grandchildren, Steven (April) and David (Jessica) Ulrich; Lindsay (Steven) Speca; Joseph Biggio; Paige (Nicholas) Miller; Amanda (Connor) McCann; and Jack Skeie; great-grandchildren, Nicholas and Abbey Ulrich; Olivia, Sloane, Ellie, and Jack Speca; Henry and Charlie Ulrich; and Corinne Miller; as well as many other dear family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Olga Evjen; brother, Norris Evjen; sister, Ardis (Francis) Menking; and sister-in-law, Marlene (Ted) Kakaliouras.
Funeral services will be held on January 24, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at Gearhart Funeral Home, 11275 Foley Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior at 11:00 a.m.
The family suggests that contributions be made to the Disabled American Veterans in memory of Joan Skeie.
