Joan Audrey Adams

Joan Audrey Adams, 87, of Winnebago, died on January 29, 2022 at Fairmont Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 11am on Friday, February 4, 2022 at Zaharia Family Funeral Home in Truman. A time for visitation will be held on Thursday from 5-7pm and one hour prior to the service on Friday. Burial will take place in Nashville Cemetery.

Joan was born to Theodore and Cecilia Nowicki of East Chain on June 19, 1934. The family moved to Nashville Township when Joan was child. Joan attended country school and was active in 4H. She graduated from Huntley High School in 1952 and from Mankato Teacher’s College in 1953. Though she worked for a time at the bank in Huntley, her lifelong vocation was farming. Joan married Alan Adams on July 29, 1953 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Winnebago. They lived on the Adams family farm where they raised their three children, Rebecca, Mark, and David. She enjoyed attending the activities of her children and visiting with neighbors.

Joan worked at the Martin County Fair, registering entries and also as a ticket taker at the racetrack. She enjoyed volunteering at the Winnebago Area Museum. Joan also served on the Nashville Township Board and Nashville Cemetery Association. She was active with the Winnebago Methodist Church. Joan had a passion for Odd Fellowship. She was a member of the Starlight #11 Rebekah Lodge for nearly 59 years and the Winnebago City #30 Odd Fellows Lodge. During this time, she held many offices, most notably serving as President of the Rebekah Assembly of Minnesota for the 1999-2000 term. She was a director on the Camp Fa-Ho-Cha board for many years. Joan was also a director on the board of the Three Links Care Center in Northfield for over 20 years.

Joan is survived by her sons, Mark of Winnebago and David (Debra) of Fairmont, and son-in-law, Brian Crow of Golden Valley; grandchildren, Lynne (James) Duben of Cannon Falls and Leigh Larson of Welcome; step-grandchildren, Angela (Chad) Rupprecht of Stroundsburg, PA, Kristina (Justin) Anderson of Lake Crystal, David Ebel of Tampa, FL; great-grandchildren, Wesley, Wyatt, and Walker Duben, Rylyn and Rhys Larson, Logan and Reese Anderson, and Atlas Ebel; nieces and nephews, Nancy Kastner, Bob Adams, Sharon Skaro, Angie Wiggins, and Michael Zenz.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Cecilia Nowicki; husband, Alan; daughter, Rebecca; sister, Delores and her husband, Alex Zenz; brother-in-law, Richard and his wife, Arlene Adams.

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