Joan was born on July 8, 1942 in Greencastle, Indiana and was the daughter of the late Wilbert and Jane (Brown) Eckardt.
She is survived be her brother, Bill; her son, Rusty (Lisa) of Atlanta, GA; daughter, Wendy (Rick) of Kingsville, MD ,and three grandchildren, Prosser, Hannah Jane and Chad to whom Joan enjoyed being Gram. In her role as Gram, she took great pleasure in showering her grandkids with tons of love, peppered with salty language and bland cooking.
Joan was a graduate of DePauw University (1964), where she enjoyed the sisterhood of Kappa Alpha Theta before taking her first job as a reporter at the Pharos Tribune in Logansport, Indiana. There she met her first husband, Dick Watts, who predeceased her in 1978. She was also predeceased by her second husband, Jim Ellis, in 1985. Later in life she worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor.
In her end of life directions prepared many years before her passing, she wrote, “It pains me to admit it, but apparently I have died.” She then followed with clear directions of no funeral services but rather a rousing celebration of life (date to be determined) where there will be- per her request- a bottle of rum, diet coke and plenty of ice. This wish will most certainly be honored.
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