Joan Lavene (Gan) Lewis

Joan Lavene (Gan) Lewis was born in Waynesville, Missouri on July 30, 1940, to Edmun and Nola (Weir) Gan. Joan departed from this life and moved to her permanent residence in Heaven on August 20, 2023, at 3:18 PM in Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri after a brief illness. Her daughter Toni, son-in-law David, and sister Pauline were at her bedside. She had attained the age of 83 years and 3 weeks. At a very young age Joan made the most important decision of her life, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior at Buckhorn Baptist Church. Throughout her life Joan tried to keep Jesus as the central focus of her life. She attended school in Waynesville, MO. After graduation she took several college courses to further her knowledge because her job converted to computers. She felt she should know something about computers if she was going to use them. Joan was united in marriage to Lloyd Albert Lewis on April 19, 1958, and they shared over 32 years together before Lloyd was promoted to Heaven. To this union one daughter was born. Joan was a very hard and dedicated worker. After working numerous jobs in the area, she started her Civil Service Career in 1961 at Fort Leonard Wood, MO working in the Quartermaster Laundry earning $1.00 an hour. She was excited to be making such a good wage. When the Quartermaster Laundry went contract Joan was transferred to DOL Transportation where she worked her way up to Chief of Transportation. Joan retired from Civil Service on February 28, 2008 with 47 years of service. Joan loved working so much that after retirement Joan could often be heard saying, “I’d rather be working.” To help relieve her boredom, her brother Richard hired Joan to be the Office Manager/Bookkeeper of his Conoco Station. She enjoyed this work until Richard sold the station. Joan expressed her displeasure at being forced into retirement again. She did finally forgive Richard for selling his station. Joan was a faithful member of Mt. Gibson Baptist Church for over 54 years and held various positions in the church. She enjoyed teaching Sunday School classes, helping with Vacation Bible School, serving as Church Treasurer, and served on the Mt. Gibson Bus Ministry. One of Joan’s favorite jobs was organizing and scheduling the monthly Southern Gospel Singings at Mt. Gibson. Joan formed many friendships with various Gospel groups during this special time. Joan once received an award from Mt. Gibson for 10 years of perfect Sunday School attendance. Joan enjoyed and loved her family, especially her role as big sister. Her siblings were never too old to be bossed around. Joan excelled at being a mother. She spent countless hours taking her daughter Toni to piano lessons and teaching her how to read and do math. Toni often says it is mom’s fault that the house is not spotless and the laundry is not folded because, “I am reading or playing the piano.” Some of Joan’s other hobbies include quilting, embroidery, sewing, collecting dolls, doing puzzles, fishing, shopping for bargains, listening to Gospel music, and cooking special meals and treats for her son-in-law Dave. Joan was a very generous and loving person, very giving, and forgiving. In March of 2017 Joan suffered a serious stroke and was not expected to survive. Joan said all the prayers of her brothers and sisters in Christ resulted in her healing. From March 2017 onward she expressed she was living on “blessing time.” The past several years Joan has enjoyed her online Bible Study group with Toni Stevens, Dave Stevens, Pauline LaMountain, Marlin Sue Stevens, Mickey Silvernail, Penny Lewis, and Sue Winchester. Joan said it was a great way for shut-ins to participate in Bible Study but she was very clear that it should never replace regular church attendance unless you were providentially hindered. Joan was fiercely independent and had a “can do” attitude. In the last few months Joan was facing a serious decline in mobility. She was requiring assistance with tasks she used to do by herself. This was extremely difficult for Joan and she began to pray that God would spare her from having to live in a nursing home the rest of her life. God in His benevolent mercy granted her request and moved her to her heavenly home. Even though our hearts are broken we must remember that Joan is pain free and she is safe in the loving arms of Jesus. Joan was preceded in death by her parents Edmun and Nola Gan, her husband Lloyd Lewis, two brothers Henry Howard Gan, and Lenard Gan, two nephews Jerald Gan, and Eddie Dean Bales. Joan is survived by her daughter Toni (Dave) Stevens of St. Robert, MO, granddaughter Ashley Stevens of St. Louis, MO, sister Effie Bales of Richland MO, sister Pauline LaMountain of Waynesville, MO, sister Marlin Sue Stevens of Waynesville MO, brother Richard (Susan) Gan of Crocker MO, sister Sandra (Roland) Fagan of Laquey, MO, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 25, 2023 in the Mt. Gibson Baptist Church of Waynesville with Pastor Richard Breeden, Bro. Dave Stevens, and Bro. Bob Kimmis officiating. Mike Freeman, Marty Moreland, Greg Gabel, and Becky Lercher sang "Christians Never Say Goodbye", "If You Only Knew", Beulah Land", "Amazing Grace" and "Celebrate Me Home". Serving as escorts were Jimmy Gan, Josh Gan, Jacob Gan, Aaron Tomason, Todd Tomason, and James Turner. Serving as honorary escorts were Randy LaMountain, Paul Philip Smith, Jr., Paul Philip Smith, III, Ethan Gan, and Jerimiah Gan.Burial followed in the Waynesville Memorial Park Cemetery. Services were under the direction of Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville/St. Robert. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Joan Lewis to the Mt. Gibson Baptist Church Building Fund or the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and may be left at Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville/St. Robert.

Joan Lavene (Gan) Lewis

July 30, 1940 - August 20, 2023