Joan Deering

Joan Deering went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, January 3, 2018 with her family by her side. Left to cherish her memory is her loving husband Harlan Deering, As well as their daughters Miranda (Travis) Hanna and their children Julia and Jolan. Chandra (Dustin) Eresman and their children Ivan and Cyler. She also leaves her siblings Marie Drescher, Agnes Petelski, Margaret Deschamps, Basil (Donalda) Dietrich, Paul Dietrich, Florance (Gary) Meier, Irene (Brian) Bergen, and Jerry (Colleen) Dietrich. As well as numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Basil and Margaret Dietrich and her brother in law Jim Petelski. She is also predeceased by two nieces Kendra Meier and Lisil Dietrich.

Joan was born on February 23, 1958 in Leader. She lived and worked on her family farm east of Mendham with her 8 brothers and sisters throughout her childhood. She attended Mendham school where she was a part of every sports team they had. Harlan and Joan were introduced by Joan’s friend and Harlan’s cousin Roberta Larson on a church hay ride in their late teens and soon after started dating. Joan worked as a teachers aid after graduating. Harlan and Joan married October 14, 1978 at Joan’s childhood church in Mendham. They moved to Medicine Hat shortly after, where Harlan worked in a glass factory and Joan worked out at the Suffield base. They moved home in the spring of 1979 to a mobile home on Harlan’s family farm west of Leader, where they lived and farmed with Harlan’s family. Joan also started working at the Ag rep office in town. They built the house Harlan resides in now in 1980. In 1984 their first daughter Miranda was born, Joan went on maternity leave from the Ag rep office to be home with her daughter. In 1986 their second daughter Chandra was born. Joan stayed home with her children and helped farm over the next few years, while babysitting some of her nephews here and there Jonathon, Graham, Benjamin and Daniel. She was very involved in her children’s lives. She taught Kermit Corner and helped with playschool. When her girls were both in school, she started working at the medical clinic which was also around the time Harlan started hauling grain for a trucking company. Having less help from her husband with him being away and her starting to work full time didn’t slow her down any. She was still involved with everything her kids were in from leading Brownies and 4H to coaching baseball and volleyball. Joan and Harlan took over Alliance Youth group when their daughters were teens and they gave it their all, from mud bowls at Helen and Dwight’s with greased pig chases and air bands around the fire to loading all the kids in the back of the 3 ton for a great day at the Sandhills. In the early 2000’s she decided to make a career change and started at the school division office. In 2002 her first grandchild Julia was born. In 2004 she started doing home care and working as a care aid at the Western Senior Citizens Home until her back couldn’t handle it. She then moved to laundry and working in the kitchen. Her youngest daughter was married in 2007 and her second grandchild Ivan was born in 2008. Mom quit homecare and laundry but continued working in the kitchen at the Western Senior Citizens Home. She also took on a larger roll with the farm. In 2010 Joan’s third grandchild Cyler was born. Joan was diagnosed with terminal peritoneal cancer in the summer of 2016. She started chemo as soon as she could after her diagnosis. Her fourth grandchild Jolan was born in the fall of 2016. Joan under went major abdominal surgery a week after Jolan was born to remove several tumors. Joan fought the cancer over the next two years but in 2018 another tumor was discovered. She had abdominal surgery to remove the tumor they also found it in her spine, so she started radiation treatments which seemed to help, but the cancer moved into her lymph system which didn’t leave many options left with her so weak. She stayed as strong as she could with the help of her family but with the diseases moving so quickly, she was moved into Carmel Hospice in December of 2018 when her family could no longer provide the care needed. She succumbed to her disease Jan 3, 2019 at the Carmel Hospice surrounded by family.

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