Joan Baumann Jones

Joan Baumann-Jones, 87, of Burlington, VT, formerly of Peoria, passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, June 24, 2016, at the University of Vermont Hospital. Cremation rites have been accorded, and her ashes will be brought home to Peoria for interment.

Nellie Joan Claywell was born in Jacksonville, IL on January 25, 1929 at Our Saviors Hospital. Her parents were Charleice Loie (Lewis) and Oliver Ray Claywell, of Winchester, IL, both previously deceased. Joan had one older brother, Donald Claywell, who also preceded her in death.

Joan grew up in Winchester, IL with a love for music, and was a talented pianist. Her mother, Charleice, gave piano lessons and played the organ at Winchester Christian Church, where they attended faithfully. In high school Joan played the saxophone in the band, was active on the Winchester High School newspaper and yearbook, and was also in various stage productions. At graduation, she earned the class “Journalism Key”, and thought about becoming a reporter (she always had an inquiring mind!) Instead, she decided to go to secretarial school, and ended up marrying her high school sweetheart.

Joan married Robert Floyd Campbell on August 7, 1949, in West Covina, California. Joan and Bob settled in Peoria after the birth of their first child in Springfield, IL. Together they had four daughters, whom Joan considered to be the crowning achievements of her life. As a family, they faithfully attended Glen Oak Christian Church, in Peoria, and it was there where the girls’ faith in God was nurtured. Glen Oak was always considered their first church home, and the girls all enjoyed going back there whenever they came to Peoria to visit. They enjoyed playing cards with family and friends, attending family reunions in Winchester, IL, and driving cross-country to visit Bob’s parents in West Covina, CA every few years.

When her girls were young, Joan tried to be at home for them as much as possible, as her daughters were always her first priority. She made their favorite meals on their birthdays, and baked their birthday cakes; in fact, she loved to bake, and specialized in making cobblers for Bob, homemade fudge, Scotcheroos, Date Pinwheel cookies, and “Jumer’s” yeast cinnamon rolls, besides her favorite: banana bread. She worked various part-time jobs when it was needed, and by the time the younger girls were in school, she began working full-time as a secretary for several employers, and most notably for many years as secretary for the Street Division for the City of Peoria.

It was at City Hall that Joan met and married her second husband, Frank B. Baumann, her soul mate, on August 15, 1970. Joan was a very social person, who joined and became active in a variety of organizations. She and Frank were active in the Peoria City Employees Credit Union, and the Peoria Municipal Employees Association. Joan had joined the National Business Women’s Association, and the local Toastmaster’s club, and was on various bowling leagues. Joan loved to dance, and she and Frank were members of the Morton Whirlaways Square Dance Club for many years. She and Frank also bought an RV and took the girls camping with friends, and bought a membership at the Cloud 9 Ranch Campground in Caulfield, MO. They joined the Family Motor Coach Association and also traveled and vacationed with other RV families they met at jamborees when they had the chance.

It was about this time that Joan began working as a secretary for the Dean’s office at E.N. Woodruff High School for many years, where she could keep an eye on her youngest daughters’ friends.

Once the girls were gone from the house, Joan and Frank began a wood-working business out of their basement, and took their creations to craft shows, where they sold beautiful wood items that Frank fashioned, and Joan finished by staining or painting. They bought a trailer, hitched it to their RV, and “Creations in Wood” became their part-time business and ticket to travel to many states for whatever craft shows they could find! They enjoyed traveling to new places together, and having the ability to visit family members whenever they could in their RV.

In the early 1980’s, Frank, and then Joan, attended a Cursillo in Christianity weekend in Peoria. It was an experience that deepened their faith and strengthened their marriage, and they encouraged other family members to attend as well. Joan loved to attend as many of the monthly Ultreyas as she could, and volunteered on weekends whenever one of her daughters was on a team.

Frank was still working as an engineer for the City, so Joan took a secretarial job with Caterpillar in Mossville, until he came of retirement age. Once Frank retired, they moved from their house in Peoria to a home on the outskirts of Washington, IL, where Frank was finally able to build himself a large workshop – so they could do even more crafting and traveling. Those were peaceful days in the country house; where they continued to work on their woodcrafts and host many family holidays, now that the girls were grown and married.

God had other plans for them, however, because within a year of retirement, Frank was diagnosed with cancer and began the fight for his life, with Joan loyally and faithfully at his side. God called Frank home less than a year after his diagnosis, on November 9, 1991, and Joan was devastated to lose the love of her life.

However, God had another plan, as this loss coincided with the birth of her first grandchild, so Joan was able to console herself with being a grandma – finally, at long last!

Joan started working again part-time, in the office of her friend, Mary Ulrich, then City Treasurer, during the tax collecting seasons (spring and fall.) She was able to be around people she knew, and earn a modest wage. She was never one to sit idly by for very long.

Joan had a keen sense of humor, which she continued to share with everyone she came across during her entire life. She so enjoyed meeting someone who could share a good joke with her!

Joan began to meet many older single adults and finally joined the Peoria Singletons, so she could share in their social outings. It wasn’t long before she met Ralph Jones, who was also a member of this organization. Ralph and Joan enjoyed dancing and laughing together, and he was a perfect gentleman and a religious man, as well. He wooed her for several years, and was so good to her that she finally agreed to marry him. Joan married Ralph S. Jones on September 21, 1996. They shared many happy years together, and made many trips to the east coast to meet his friends and family out there, and Joan took him to Florida and to Washington states to meet her families there. Ralph was a member of the Peoria Elks Lodge No. 20, in Peoria, where they met friends each week for dinner, socializing, and of course, music and dancing.

Joan and Ralph went to Jacksonville Beach, FL and rented a condo for several years during the winter, where they enjoyed good friends and spent quality time with their grandchildren who lived there. They attended church at Beach United Methodist Church with her daughter, Kris’ family and it was there that they met many good friends. They went on a couple of cruises with them, and also found an Elks Club where they could continue their socializing and dancing.

Joan and Ralph made a lovely home at 1504 W. Crestwood, in Peoria, where they were always thrilled to gather their family and friends. They were able to enjoy the next 8 years together, before God called Ralph home on January 27, 2004.

For the following years of her life, Joan attended church regularly at the First United Methodist Church of Peoria, and was active as a volunteer for the South Side Mission of Peoria, as well as R.S.V.P. She continued to be involved with the Peoria Elks Emblem Club 121, and she kept in contact with many of their Elks Club friends and enjoyed socializing whenever she could.

Eventually, as Joan’s health declined, she required more care than her family here in Peoria was able to give her. She moved in August of 2015 to Burlington, VT so that she could live with 2 of her daughters, and 2 of her grandchildren, who were all able to share in her care, get her to doctor appointments, play cards, and watch TV with her, so that she was not lonely. After her house in Peoria was sold, we believe she was finally content to leave, and the dear Lord called her home. Joan has been saying for years, “I never expected to live this long!” Another of her all-time favorite sayings was, “To thine own self be true.” She said her mother always told her this, and we believe she lived that to the fullest.

Joan is survived by her four loving daughters: Michelle (Brian) Bachler of Peoria, Lesli Harms of East Peoria, Kristen Cook of Princeton Junction, NJ, and Traci Wade of Burlington, VT; a step-son, Douglas John Baumann of Phoenix, AZ, and a step-daughter, Kathy Nace-Jones, of Millsboro, DE.

Joan had five grandchildren: Austin Cook and Taylor Cook of Jacksonville Beach, FL, Seth Wade of Burlington VT, Eden Harms of East Peoria, and Christy Weiss of Redlands, CA; two step-grandchildren: Ashley Bachler of Eureka, and Miles Bachler of Peoria. Joan had two great-grandchildren: Corporal Jeremy Eldridge of Kaneohe Bay, HI and Ila Bachler of Eureka.

Joan is also survived by her dear niece, Brenda Story-Philips, two great nephews: Don (Tina) Story and Todd (Rachel) Story, and numerous great-great nieces and nephews, and one great-great-great niece.

Services for Joan will be on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at the Davidson-Fulton-Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home, 2408 W Willow Knolls Drive, Peoria IL, where there will be a Visitation from 10 to 11 am, followed by a Celebration of Life Service starting at 11 am.

They will have the burial of ashes at Resurrection Cemetery on Allen Road in Peoria, to be followed by a luncheon for family and friends who are welcome to continue to celebrate Joan’s life, at the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, 3915 W. War Memorial Dr., starting at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made to the South Side Mission, 1127 S. Laramie, in Peoria IL.

Condolences, comments and notes to the family may also be made online at www.dignitymemorial.com.