Joan Katherine Garno Spens
Joan Katherine Garno Spens was born June 20, 1935, in Milan to Edward Paul Garno and Bertha Elizabeth Ehlenburg Garno. On February 9, 2023, her life ended peacefully in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.
Joan was blessed with two brothers, Thomas Edward and David Lee Garno. Her early years were spent in Milan, where she loved riding her bicycle around with one of her brothers in the basket. She moved to Molke, at the age of 14 and attended high school in the Grambau Building. Joan met her husband, Harold Spens, while at a dance. After graduating in 1953, Joan and Harold were married April 24, 1954. Soon after, they moved to the Huron Beach/Ocqueoc area, where they began their family. Joan and Harold had six children.
After building their home in Ocqueoc, Joan continued her adventurous life of becoming a great cook and hostess to many family gatherings. Joan loved learning new things. She baked all kinds of bread, cakes, cookies and canned vegetables from her garden. She learned to decorate cakes and her family enjoyed her holiday creations, birthday cakes, and some of her children even had their wedding cakes made by her.
Joan was most happy when doing something for others. She was active in 4-H, T.O.P.S., and planning trips to the Upper Peninsula or to their cottage at Black Lake. Joan also learned how to knit and crochet, and blessed many of her friends and family with things she had made.
In 1972, Joan and Harold built their final home on U.S.-23 North in Rogers City. It was here, where she loved working in her garden, greenhouse and flower gardens.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harold; her maternal grandfather, Ike Ehlenburg; grandmother, Celia Stahl; paternal grandparents, S
Living to remember Joan are her brother, David Garno; and six children, Denise and Ken Kennedy, Dennis and Debbie Spens, Richard Spens, Timothy and Cyndi Spens, Brian and Jill Spens, and Andrew and Anne Spens. Her grandchildren include Aaron Spens, Kevin Kennedy, Michael Spens, Dawna Kennedy, David Kennedy, Margaret Sigman and Jesse Ripper. Joan was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren.
A family prayer service and burial are being planned for late spring of this year.
