Joan Berns

Joan D Berns, 78, of Waukon, IA, formerly of Rolling Meadows, IL, passed away Friday, September 27, 2019, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, October 1st, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Monday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 3:30 PM scripture service.

Joan was born January 19, 1941, in Waukon, IA, the daughter of Leonard "Stub" and Anna (Bresnahan) Davis. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church and graduated from St. Patrick High School in 1959, both in Waukon. On May 28, 1960, she married Arthur Berns at St. Patrick Catholic Church. They moved to Chicago before settling in Rolling Meadows, IL, in 1963 where they lived for 43 years. She worked various clerical positions at Loyola University, Meadows Currency Exchange, Doc Lynch Chiropractic, and Art Berns Construction.

She was a member of St. Colette Catholic Church in Rolling Meadows, where she was very active with bingo to help support St. Colette Catholic School. Joan enjoyed crocheting, bowling, golfing, and taking trips to Jamaica. In 2006, Joan and Art moved back to Waukon.

Survivors include her husband Art of Waukon; her children: Peggy (John) Monson, Patty (Steve) Coldebella, Pam Donohue, and Linc (Jenni) Berns, of Rolling Meadows, IL; eight grandchildren: Bryan (Kendall) Monson, Keith (Julia) Monson, Shana Berns, Austin Reed, Mitchell Coldebella, Jimmy Donohue, and Ember and Ashley Berns; one great-granddaughter Mary Jane Donohue; two sisters:Janet (Lou) Bork of West Chicago, IL; Lynn Ann Williams of Waukon and a brother John Davis of Mississippi; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents.

Honorary casketbearers are Lou Bork, John Davis, Bernard and Francis Berns, and Dr. David Schwartz. Casketbearers are Joan's son, grandchildren, and sons-in-law.