Joan Marie Braendle

Lord, please accept our beautiful musical lady
into your glorious kingdom as a Special Angel.

Joan Marie Braendle, age 85, of Hastings passed away at her home on Tuesday, September 13, 2016.
She was born March 13, 1931, an only child to Maria C. (Weber) and Cecil L. Ashurst, in Havana, Illinois.

Mrs. Braendle attended Havana schools, graduating in 1949.  She furthered her education at Western Illinois College in Macomb, Illinois and returned to Havana, accepting a position teaching kindergarten and first grade students.  She lived and enjoyed her dream during the 1950's as assistant principal and later did substituting while engaging her new role as a homemaker.  She was gifted in piano, serving as music accompanist throughout high school, was a finalist in state competition, was a member of the Davenport swing band, enjoyed giving piano lessons and tutoring special education students.  She also was a member of the Beethoven Club of Havana and was Christian Director for children at First United Methodist Church in Hastings.

Joan married Neil Braendle, her high school sweetheart, November 17, 1951 and together they had two
children, Maria Diane and Victor Niles.  She was preceded in death by her mother and father, four uncles, including Richard E. Weber who was special like a brother being only six years apart; four aunts, several nieces and nephews, and son, Victor.  Surviving are her husband; her daughter, Maria Diane Braendle of Charlotte, Michigan; three grandsons, Nicholas of Hastings; Nelson of Austin, Texas, Torrey Symonds of Charlotte and five great-grandchildren, Vivian Simone, Dezmund Rhys and Dexter Niles of Austin; Jude Victor Braendle, and McKenna Symonds and several nephews, nieces and cousins.

After 25 years in Havana associated with The Mason County Democrat family newspaper, in 1969 the family moved to Hastings where Joan and husband purchased the Wibalda Dairy Queen they operated as Braendle and Son Dairy Queen until 1975.  After selling the store they partnered together in a new venture, a commercial printing company named "Little Print" which later was expanded to two more locations and renamed "Advanced Commercial Printers."  Joan served as the company bookkeeper and assistant manager until she retired in 2000 when the company was purchased by J-Ad Graphics of Hastings.

Joan and her husband enjoyed "antiquing" for many years during which time she accumulated a large mouse collection and a thousand sheets of big band and popular music from the 20's, 30's, 40's that she enjoyed playing on her 1867 Boardman-Grey Upright Grand Concert piano restored by Steve Jewel of Hastings in the early 1990's.  She proudly accompanied her grandson, Hastings HS graduate Nelson Allen Braendle at state band competition in which he earned three medals.  Her favorite travel destinations were Disney World, Hawaii, Vienna, Austria, Colorado, Salt Lake City and visiting family in Idaho.

Mrs. Braendle was a loving and caring mother, experiencing great pleasure taking care of her grandchildrenin their early years, and then her great-grandchildren.  She and her husband enjoyed taking them on special vacation trips to Michigan lakes and visiting various amusement parks.  She found happiness in her music, her books, hugging children, loving her pets, and her birds.  She will be dearly missed by her family.

Respecting her wishes, there will be no services, cremation has taken place.  Donations are requested in Joan's memory to the Animal Shelter or Humane Society of Barry County.

REMEMBER ME

Remember me when flowers bloom
early in the Spring;
Remember me on Sunny Days
in the fun that summer brings.
Remember me in the fall as you
walk through the leaves of gold,
and in the winter time Remember me
in the stories that are told.
But most of all Remember
every day -- right from the start
I will be forever near.