Joan Mary Good

It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of Joan Mary Good of Leland, NC after a 13-month battle with glioblastoma. Joan passed away peacefully at home on October 7, 2026, surrounded by the deep love of her family. Her life exemplified an uncommon sense of selflessness and thoughtfulness of all others and she will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Joan’s caring for others was demonstrated early when, as a teenager, she volunteered as a Candy Striper at her local hospital in Woodruff, WI. Shortly thereafter, she received a license as a Practical Nurse and served in a hospital, a clinic and a nursing home in Madison, WI where her future husband met and fell in love with her. After they moved to Durham, NC, she joined the staff at the Sara Barker Center to serve children with developmental needs. After the birth of her first child, she devoted herself to her growing family as a stay-home mother and wife. Her love for young children led her to become a long-time teacher’s aide at Duke Memorial Weekday School after her children ‘graduated’ from there. She made many life-long friends from those with whom she worked and from acquaintances she met through her children and husband that easily endured the tests of distance and time. Her immense compassion and generosity also extended to all God’s creatures, and she regularly rescued all sorts of animals in distressed situations, from lost cats and dogs to turtles in the road and even bees and wasps entrapped in her screened-in porch.

Joan’s greatest joys in life were realized in the nurturing of her children, in the support of their families and her husband, and in the grandmotherly spoiling and participation in the lives of ‘GG’s’ precious grandchildren. She was most grateful to have lived near her entire immediate family as it grew with marriages and births and joyfully hosted many family gatherings and her grandchildren’s ‘cousin sleepovers’ at her home.

Joan is survived by her husband Steve Good; her children: Kate (Justin) Bell, Rob (Emily) Good, and Ann Marie (Martin) Gray; her 8 grandchildren: Bennet, Owen, Sully and Hazel Good (and another on the way), Noah, Colton and Eli Bell, and Spencer Gray; her brother James Serns and numerous cousins, two nephews and a niece. Joan is preceded in death by her dear grandmother Catherine Neis, her father and mother Robert and Mary Serns and brother Steven Serns.

Information regarding a celebration of Joan’s life will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, food or other expressions of sympathy, her family requests donations to one of Joan’s many favorite charities (including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Special Olympics, Smile Train, Save the Children, and ASPCA), to the non-profit organization Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in recognition of her family’s appreciation for the outstanding care they provided Joan and Steve, or to another charity of choice.