Joan Bartlett

Joan "Joni" Marie Walrod Bartlett passed away peacefully in her sleep at Autumn Care of Marion on Tuesday January 7th, 2020 at the age of 59.  Joan Walrod was born on February 10, 1960 in Fort Dodge, Iowa.  She was the daughter of Jack and Annabelle Walrod. 

A Fort Dodge native, she attended area schools and graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High in 1978.  She went on to attend Iowa Central Community College and Bernel School of Beauty, obtaining her state license in Cosmetology. Joni met and married Kenneth Dee Gardner in 1981.  During their marriage the couple shared a daughter, Jessica Marie Gardner of Fort Dodge, Iowa.  Joan and Ken later divorced.  She went on to marry Ronald Lynn Bartlett in 1991 in Turkey Cove, North Carolina.  The couple shared two sons, Andrew Lynn Bartlett and Samuel Ronald Bartlett both of Marion, North Carolina.  After several years of marriage Joni and family returned to Fort Dodge, Iowa where she took great pride in working as the office manager at Key Photography.  Later the couple returned to Marion, North Carolina where she continued raising her sons.
 

Joan's life centered on her family and church.  She would assemble the monthly church newsletter and also served as a Sunday school teacher where she loved developing lessons and activities for the children. Joni enjoyed many activities with her family such as taking cruises, camping, going to the beach (which she called her "happy place"), swimming, singing, and dancing to classic rock music.  She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, reading, watching movies, and playing freestyle cards.  Recently she loved rescuing and caring for her five shelter dogs, watching Raw wrestling with her sons, and  keeping in touch with family and friends on Facebook.

Joan was proceeded in death by her parents Jack and Annabelle Walrod and her sisters, Kathryn Walrod Skinner and infant sister Karan Margaret Walrod. 

She is survived by her daughter, Jessica Gardner and her two sons Andrew and Samuel Bartlett, Ronald Lynn Bartlett and her sister Jaclyn Lea Graves (Al Graves). She has many nieces, nephews, and cousins scattered across the country.
 

Joan will always be remembered as a feisty Norwegian woman, a devoted mother, for her strong Christian beliefs and for her boisterous laugh that could reach the rafters.

Memorial service to honor Joan's life will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Saint Matthews Lutheran Church.