Joan Gall Varnau was born on April 24, 1925, in Tipton, Indiana, and died on September 1, 2019, in Surprise, Arizona. Joan is survived by sons, John Varnau of Goodyear, AZ; David Varnau of Edmonds, WA; Nick Varnau of Goodyear, AZ; and their spouses; and daughters, Judy Mohl of Sun City Center, FL, and Patty Stephen of Boulder, CO, and their spouses. Her surviving grandchildren are Heather Aiken of Lopez Island, WA; Jennifer Gilkison of Portland, OR; Adam Varnau of Hudson, IN; Greg Varnau of Ashville, NC; and Sarah Varnau of Portland, OR; and four great grandchildren. She is survived by sisters Margaret Robinson of Richmond, IN, and Martha Hiawatt of Madison, IN, and brother, Jim Gall of Marion, IN. Her husband, John Richard "Dick" Varnau, pre-deceased her in 2011.
Joan will be remembered as a fun-loving, kind and caring person to all who knew her, especially to her children and grandchildren. While she was raising her five children on a dairy farm near Portland, Indiana, Joan was active with the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, serving on the Parish Council and as adult leader for the Catholic Youth Organization. In addition, she was 4-H club leader for many years. After her youngest child began high school, she worked off the farm in a small electronics factory where she became the Chief Union Steward. She successfully led a union strike for better pay and working conditions for employees!
After selling the farm in the early 1970's, she, along with her husband, was a successful entrepreneur of several retail businesses in Huntington, Indiana. In 1989, they retired and moved to Sun City West where they led an active social life and she explored diverse hobbies, including ceramics. Joan and Dick loved to travel to visit family members scattered throughout the country. Several years after Dick's death, Joan moved to an assisted living facility where she continued to spread her good cheer and kindness as she had her entire life. She truly "lit up the room" wherever she walked. But her caring heart finally wore out on September 1st.
In lieu of flowers, Joan's family requests that you make a charitable contribution to the American Heart Association, www.heart.org, or to your local food pantry.
The Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, October 7, 2019 at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 6180 W. Utopia Road, Glendale, AZ. Interment will follow at Sunland Memorial Park, 15826 N. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City, AZ. Immediately after, a "Celebration of Life" will be held at the same location.
