Joan Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Ph.D., 75 of Warrensburg, Missouri, died Monday, Nov. 27, at her home.
Visitation was scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 3, at 4 to 6 p.m., at Williams Funeral Chapel, 1400 South Maguire St., Warrensburg. On Tuesday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m., Father Joe Bathke, C.PP.S., officiated the Mass of Christian Burial, at Sacred Heart Parish, 300 South Ridgeview Dr., Warrensburg, immediately followed by a luncheon. Interment was be, Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, 20109 Business Hwy. 13, Higginsville, MO.
Joan Elizabeth (Bryce) Fitzpatrick Ph.D. was born July 12, 1944, to Marian Kley-Bryce and Wendell Fred Bryce in Detroit, Michigan. She was raised in Northville, Michigan where she attended elementary and high school.
She graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1966 and volunteered for Air Force Officer Training School (OTS) where she was commissioned a second lieutenant. During OTS she met her future husband and on Sept. 9, 1967, Second Lieutenants Joan and Tom were united in marriage. They raised three children and an assortment of dogs, cats, and horses during assignments in Michigan, Taiwan, Colorado, Missouri, Alabama, Turkey, and Nebraska.
After Tom retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel, they returned to their Spring Ridge home in Warrensburg where Joan earned two Masters Degrees in 1980 and 1981, an Educational Specialist Degree in 1998 from the University of Central Missouri and a Doctorate Degree from Regent University. During this time she taught special education classes in Warrensburg, Windsor, Leeton, and Kingsville. She retired from the public school system and began teaching doctoral courses online for Liberty University.
Joanie loved the outdoors and was an experienced flautist, horsewoman, gardener, and canner of the produce from her gardens. She will be missed by her children, daughter Jeni, granddaughter Jia Li, and Jeni’s husband Matt; son Dr. Michael and his wife Heather; daughter, Katie and her husband Cody; and cousins and extended family members. Plus countless friends locally, across the country and overseas. She was preceded in death by her brother and Marine Corps veteran, Fred, and her parents.
Memorial donations may be made to New Beginnings Women’s Center and Johnson County Right to Life in Warrensburg, in care of Williams Funeral Chapel.