Obituary of Joan Claire Hovde Haines

Joan Claire Hovde Haines died October 14, 2024 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She was born August 20, 1925 in Crookston, Minnesota to Waulula Amolia Johnston and Ole Hovde. She was the youngest of three children.

Joan grew up in the Woods Addition and attended Franklin Grade School. She and her three best friends Nancy Oppegard, Marilyn Mitchell, and Helene Loken rode trikes and bikes, played kick-the-can under the street lights at the corner, played with paper dolls, made leaf houses, gave their dolls tea parties, and created theatrical performances in Nancy's basement. At Central High School -- go Pirates! -- Joan worked on the school paper and was active in all speech and drama activities. She graduated from high school in 1943. 

Joan continued her interest in speech activities at Macalester College in St. Paul under the direction of Mary Gwen Owens. Her roommate for two years at Wallace Hall was Margaret Monroe, later Mrs. Dick Olson, with whom she exchanged Christmas greetings her whole life.

At the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Joan continued her activities in speech and drama and majored in radio-speech. While at the U, she affiliated with Kappa Delta Sorority, Sigma Beta Chapter.

Her brother Billy flew the first jet fighter plane into Wold-Chamberlain Field from March Field in California to attend Joan's university graduation in 1947.

A few years later, Joan moved to Missoula, Montana to work at KGVO, the 50,000 Watt CBS affiliate, as a broadcaster-copy writer. There she also met and married Donald Harry Haines in 1951. Together they raised two fine sons. Joan was active as a homeroom mother, a Cub Scout den mother, in PTA, and as an acolyte mother and a member of the altar guild of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. And she always had a dog.

Joan enjoyed snow skiing, golf, bridge, water aerobics, sewing (making most of her own clothes), embroidery, needle point, and traveling. As a child, Joan became well-acquainted with the fine Carnegie Public Library in Crookston. This love of reading continued throughout her life.

She visited all 50 states, Canada, Mexico City, and other locations many times. She and Donald visited Alaska several times, once driving the ALCAN Highway. She also made trips to England and Italy. When she was an old lady, she enjoyed a multi-country cruise of the Baltic with her son Scott, his wife Ann, and their daughters Michelle and Laura.

In 1940 she experienced the terrible Armistice Day Blizzard when home alone with the family dog, Chubby.

For 41 years, Joan was a national officer of Kappa Delta Sorority including six years on National Council as National Treasurer. As a national officer, she traveled all over the country visiting chapters and house corporations, attending conventions, and making life-long friends.

In her later years, Joan lived at Summit Place, a senior living residence in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where she continued her enjoyment of water aerobics, bridge, and reading. She also enjoyed eating out frequently with her family, who also introduced her to Starbucks coffee. At Summit Place, Joan enjoyed many grand friends over the years.

Joan's family has always been her greatest interest and love. She was preceded in death by parents Lou and Ole Hovde, sister Kathryn Lou Hovde Goodman (Curtiss), brother Col. (USAF - retired) William Johnston Hovde (Norma), husband of 53 years Donald Harry Haines, and all of Don's siblings and their spouses.

Joan is survived by her two sons Michael Donald Haines (Lisa) of Anchorage, Alaska and Scott William Haines (Ann) of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, grandchildren Lukus, Jacob, Christopher, Holly (Orion), Alexander (Rachel), Michelle (Tom), and Laura, and great-grandchildren Whitney, Orion, Aria, Osiris, Olivia, Cade, Amelia, Syver, Rueben, Solveig, Henry, and Benjamin.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, October 21 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 4439 W. 50th Street, Edina, Minnesota.

The family suggests memorials to Park Nicollet Foundation Support of Hospice, Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley, Kappa Delta Foundation, or donor's choice.