Joan Garrett

Joan Garrett age 62 of Fredericksburg, IA died Friday, July 24, 2020, at her home surrounded by her family. A private family service will be held at a later date. Joan Garrett and her twin sister, Judy, were born on June 11, 1958, in New Hampton, and they were among the 10 children Bernard and JoAnne (Rausch) Pickar raised. Joan grew up in Sumner and graduated from Sumner High School in 1977. Soon after graduating, she and an older sister moved to Davenport, where Joan met Randy Stempke, a career Navy man. The two were married and had two children, Ryan and Jennifer. They remember growing up in a home where mom was tough but fair. If she had something to say, she said it. After Joan and Randy divorced, she stayed in South Carolina for years, working as a bartender and cook, but in 2012, with both Ryan and Jennifer living in Iowa, she moved home to be closer to her kids, although, honestly, it was probably the grandchildren who really brought Joan home. She continued to work as a cook, but what she loved more than anything was being the doting grandma. She loved her son and daughter; she adored those five grandchildren. Her family will remember Joan for a lot of things. She simply loved to cook, grandkids, Mom, and Grandma had recipes throughout her house — in the kitchen, in the bedroom, in the bathroom, and in the garage, just to name several places. She also enjoyed painting and drawing, and she liked to get away from it all and spend a day here and there at her favorite fishing hole. She passed away much too young, but her kids and her grandchildren will always have great memories about this woman who never left her visitors hungry and who always told you what was on her mind. Joan is survived by two children, Ryan (Kayla) Strempke of Fredericksburg, IA, Jennifer (Jason) Ball of Fredericksburg, IA; five grandchildren, Emrick and Myla Strempke, Nicole, Alexus, and Eddie Ball; Seven siblings, Audrey (Bill) Miller of Fort Myers, FL, Debbie (Keith) Wolf of Osage, IA, Eddie (Renae) Pickar of Sturgis, SD, Norma (Butch) Leach of Fredericksburg, IA, David (Ruth) Pickar of Sumner, IA, Judy (Troy) Schott of Clermont, IA, Julie (Ron) Moravek of Iowa Falls, IA. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Duane and Kevin Pickar.