Joan Nygaard, 86, of Mesa, Arizona formerly of Beaverton, Oregon passed away suddenly on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. Joan was born May 30, 1933 in North Dakota to George and Sadie Hovel. Joan married Marvin Nygaard on June 10, 1951 in Pekin, North Dakota. Joan worked in the grocery industry, last at Safeway in Portland, Oregon, as an inventory manager, retiring to Arizona in 1992. Joan’s hobby was sewing and she was a familiar vendor at local arts and crafts fairs in Mesa, selling ‘Joan’s Fabric Art’ and her sweatshirt jackets. She was also passionate about professional basketball, first following the Portland Trailblazers and later cheering on the Phoenix Suns. She was excited about the Suns recent success with their “rebuilt” team. Joan is preceded in death by her parents, brother Jerome Hovel and husband Marvin. Joan is survived by 3 nieces, Monica Walczak, Jerene Carlson, and Kelly Myers. A burial service will be held in McVille, North Dakota at a later date.