Joan Westlund Case, cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grand- mother and friend, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2018, in Templeton, California. The name “Joan” means full of grace, and all who knew her would agree it was a perfect fit. Born in San Francisco in 1930, Joan moved with her family to South Pasadena where she attended South Pasadena-San Marino High School, graduating in 1948. She attended classes at Pasadena City College and began a short career in the fashion retail industry. In 1950, Joan met and married Stan, the love of her life. From that moment forward, she worked to create warm, supportive, welcoming, and loving home environments for her family everywhere they lived including Mississippi, Bremerhaven, Germany, and Portland, Oregon, while Stan served in the U.S. Air Force. Family homes followed in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Los Altos Hills, and Templeton/Paso Robles, California. Joan raised her four children with high standards, compassion, a fierce loyalty, and creative, frugal, gourmet meals. She was the devoted “First Lady” of Stan’s business, Case Pacific Company for over 50 years and a long-time, active member of Plymouth Congregational Church in Paso Robles. Everyone who was lucky enough to know Joan remembers her vibrant, positive, selfless, and fun-loving personality. She loved reading, cooking, crossword puzzles, her iPad, gardening, the Royal Family, but above all, her own family. An avid traveler, Joan and Stan visited all 50 states and made countless trips abroad, including some to their favorite destinations of Australia, Switzerland, and Ireland. They especially enjoyed road trips and camping in National Parks, visiting baseball stadiums, and Presidential libraries all across the country. Joan gave generously of her time to the local community of Paso Robles where she volunteered with Loaves and Fishes, the Paso Robles Toy Bank, and was named volunteer of the year at the Paso Robles Library. When she passed, Joan was working closely with Paso Cares, an organization dedicated to supporting the homeless population. She is survived by her husband and best friend of 67 years, Stan; her children: Diana, Michael, David (Mary) and Tom (Lisa); seven grand- children and one great-grand- child. A chorus of dearly departed family members, lifelong friends, and beloved pets are welcoming Joan home. Those remaining will be inspired to greater kindness and humility by a beautiful guardian angel. A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for 11:00 am, Saturday, July 21st, at the Plymouth Congregational Church, 1301 Oak Street, Paso Robles, California. The family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to Paso Cares, P.O. Box 2834 Paso Robles, CA 93447 www.pasocares.org
Published in San Luis Obispo County Tribune on June 10, 2018