JoAnne Converse

JoAnn G. Converse (Radant) 63, of Motley died peacefully at home with family by her side, August 11, 2005.
A celebration of her life will be held at Faith Lutheran Church in Staples on Monday August 15th at 1 pm. with Pastor Stephen Sveom and Intern Pastor A. J. Kluver officiating. A Visitation/Prayer Service will be held at the Church on Sunday August 14th from 6 to 8 pm.

JoAnn Converse was born November 9, 1941 to Gerald & Elsie (Levzow) Radant in Portage, WI at her grandparents? farm. She graduated from Portage High School in 1960 and Deaconess Hospital Nursing School in 1963.

JoAnn worked at Divine Saviors Hospital in Portage and also traveled and/or worked in California, New York, England and Israel before moving to Alaska where she planned to work for six months. She met and married Chad Monroe Converse, a Forester for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, October 12, 1970 and stayed in Alaska for 6 years.

JoAnn and Chad were blessed with two sons, Matthew M., born December 28, 1973 and Nathan Christian born May 1st, 1975. Nathan came a little early while Chad was working on a neighboring Alaskan island. JoAnn had to take Matthew to the babysitter before driving herself to the hospital where Nathan was born three hours later.

JoAnn and family moved to Oregon in 1976 where she took time off from nursing to raise her children. They moved to Cass Lake, MN in 1980 where she resumed her nursing career as an OB nurse at North Country Hospital in Bemidji. They moved again in 1985 when Chad was promoted to District Ranger in Maine. While in Maine, JoAnn worked at Stephen?s Memorial Hospital where she was promoted to OB Nurse Manager. Chad put JoAnn through lots of adventures including a January 1992 drive on the ALCAN Highway back to Alaska where JoAnn continued her OB career. In June 2000, Chad and JoAnn retired (changed careers) and moved to Motley, MN. They built their dream home on their farm and raised beef cattle and hay.

JoAnn enjoyed reading, baking and cooking for her family and walking around the farm with her grandson, Colton Christian Converse, who was born October 9, 2003. She was active in church activities serving as treasurer of the Faith Lutheran Church Women and as a Stephen Minister. JoAnn was a past president of the Motley Women?s Study Club. She was a member of the committee formed to start a library in Motley and she previously volunteered in the R.I.F. (Reading Is Fundamental) program.

JoAnn is survived by her husband, Chad; sons, Matthew (Kim Holland) of Columbus, Ohio; Nathan (JodyLynn Hoting) and grandson Colton of Staples; mother, Elsie Radant of Portage Wisconsin; sisters, Sharon Gilmor (Richard), Marie Paske (Wallace); sisters-in-law, Julia Richardson (Robert), Joan Lynch (Michael) and brother-in-law, Clinton Converse (Lynda); one uncle, and nieces, nephews and cousins, other close relatives and many many friends. She was preceded in death by infant son Adam Joseph, father Gerald Radant, and her father and mother-in-law.