Joanne M. Claxton-Curd

Joanne Claxton-Curd was born to Madelyn A. Weaver & Samuel Marr on May 9th, 1932 and passed away on February 26th, 2016. She is survived by her 4 children; sons Dan, David, and Jim Miller (Kim) and daughter Dawn Roy (Bill). In addition, she leaves 8 step-children along with many nieces and nephews. Her closest cousins, more like sisters, were Karen (Wright Smith) and Babe (Jacqueline Royal Cumberford).

Her family continued to grow over the years, eventually including 21 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

In addition to an amazingly close relationship with her mother; Joanne's grandparents; Joseph & Gioconda Basile, played a large role in helping to raise her. She was adopted by Elmer Weaver after his marriage to Joanne's mother, Madelyn.

Joanne, often referred to as Jody or Jo, attended parochial school and graduated from Northeast High School in 1951. She played field hockey and was also a cheerleader. The skills she acquired from these activities, strength and endurance from field hockey and joyful finesse from cheerleading, would serve her well in the years to come.

Joanne and James Miller were married on May 14, 1952 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Three very rambunctious, mischievous boys were born to the couple within the next four years, often requiring Joanne to reconnect with her inner field hockey player. She used the slightly softer side of the cheerleader in her to raise her daughter, as she referred to as her “angel baby”; her sweet innocence often caught in the crossfire of her brothers. Joanne was a Cub Scout den mother, manager of a girls softball team, and a Ruskin High School Booster Club mom, all while attending her sons' various sporting events and watching her daughter cheer. Still, she always found time to spend with her best friends, Jody Sheets, Marty Beal, and her sister-in-law, Marjorie Miller Romano (Aunt Margie).

We like to say it takes a village and Joanne continued to play a role in caring for her ever-growing village, including her children's boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, grandchildren, family, and friends along the way. Growing her extended family yet again, she later married Don Claxton and became the stepmother of 4 more children. After his sudden passing, she found Tom Curd and became stepmother to another 4 children.

Around 1985, she purchased her home away from home at the Lake of the Ozarks. She enjoyed years of fun times and making memories with her family, neighbors and friends. There were lots of hamburger and hotdog cookouts or spaghetti dinners and stories where four-wheelers got stuck, grandkids got lost, and boats broke down.

She enjoyed passing time with Western movies, her crushes on John Wayne and Tom Selleck, and loving her Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. She was so EXCITED to have lived to see our Royals take the Crown again.

While it’s been very sad to see her go; we know she is at peace with her mother, who recently passed on January 30, 2016, and countless other family members today and forever. She will be dearly missed by all of us she leaves behind.

In Joanne’s words and how she ended every phone conversation:

"Love you, Bye".

Visitation is from 5 to 6:30p.m, followed by Eulogy at 6:30 p.m., on Sunday, March 6 at McGilley & Sheil Funeral Home, 11924 E. 47th St., KC, MO. Funeral Mass will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, March 7, at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 9020 E. 51st Terr. K.C., MO. Burial in Mount Olivet Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, MO. After burial, lunch will be served at St. Bernadette Catholic Church.

Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/donate