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You matter. People often worry about what legacy they will leave behind, but our mother, sister, and friend, Joan Spahn Woodhouse Kreul, left a very clear message to all those lucky enough to share her life. From the selfless career she led as a nurse to the inimitable role model she was as a mother and grandmother, if you were in her orbit, you knew it. You mattered.
Joan was born on June 9, 1948 in Dubuque, Iowa, the daughter of Leo and Ruth (Bierie) Spahn. She passed away Tuesday, December 27, 2016. Joan was a tireless caregiver. As a nurse at Sunnycrest, she worked with special needs patients whom she often invited out to Friday night pizza with her family. As a Finley and Amicare home health nurse, she was so beloved, she could barely fit the Christmas gifts from her appreciative patients into her car. It was not uncommon for her children to be stopped on the street to be told what a difference she made in the lives of her patients.
Her professional life could be exhausting, but she never seemed to need more than a few hours of sleep. As a mother, she would stay up the night before every birthday and holiday finishing up preparations to ensure the next day was unforgettable. As a grandmother, she was the first in line to welcome the new baby into the world and possessed a comforting presence which was sought by her grandchildren well past babyhood. As a sister, daughter, and friend, she was never too tired to listen or help. As much as she adored her job, it was evident that caring for her family and friends was her true passion.
She made everyone feel welcome and loved. She loved to laugh and excelled in the Iowa tradition of visiting. Her home was always open to anyone, from her friends or family who needed a place to stay for a bit to the stray college student we brought home who couldn't make it home for the holidays.
Her life was not an easy one and she endured more than her fair share of suffering, yet she always found a reason to keep going, to keep smiling. She didn't hide her feelings. She felt. She lived. She was fun. She was funny. She was comforting. She was capable. She was smart. She was beautiful. She was giving. She was kind. She was strong. She was important. She mattered.
Joan is survived by her children, Heather Woodhouse Ellis, Amy (Todd) Van Deventer, George (Gayle) Woodhouse, Melissa Woodhouse and Beth (Amy) Chandler; her sisters, Jeanne (Dan) Mayne, Susan Gelderman, and Mary Ann Bailes; her ex-husband Larry Kreul; grandchildren Hannah, Emma, Madelyn, Samuel, Tyler, Nicholas, Katherine, Benjamin and George, her mother-in-law, Rose Mary Woodhouse, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her children, Rachael and Jessica; her parents, Ruth and Leo Spahn; and ex-husband, George Woodhouse Jr.
Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2016 at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd. with a wake service at 3:00pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, December 31, 2016 at St. Raphael's Cathedra with burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society.