Obituary of Joanne Hemphill

Evelyn Joanne (Hauser) Hemphill was born on May 28, 1931 on a farm near Gilman, Iowa.  Her family later moved to Gilman where Evelyn (better known to her friends as Joanne) graduated in 1949 from high school.

After graduation, Evelyn moved to Grinnell, Iowa and became a telephone operator until she married Gerald Hemphill in October, 1955.  A few years later Evelyn and Gerald (better known as Jake) moved to North Liberty, Iowa.  Joanne worked as a telephone operator in North Liberty in the mid 1960’s.  Back then it was required to call an operator to make a phone call.  Phone numbers in North Liberty were only four digits and the Hemphill’s number was 1904.

Gerald and Joanne had one son, John, who resides with his wife, Lorie, near Peshtigo, Wisconsin.  John and his wife have three sons, Chad, Chase and Curt. 

Joanne had always enjoyed being with animals (especially dogs).  One of her favorites was Lassie (a mix Toy Collie and Cocker Spaniel).  Lassie would follow Joanne around the house as she did chores.

Joanne enjoyed gardening, baking and watching her three grandchildren grow up.  For many years Joanne would bake huge sugar coolies with Jack O Lantern faces on them to pass out on Trick or Treat night to the neighborhood children.

Joanne was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald; father, Wallace; mother Cora Lee; brothers, Thomas, George (Dorothy Mae), Lee (Bernice) and sisters, Mary (Paul Miller) and Grace (Kenneth Strand).

Joanne will be missed by her family and friends.  She is survived by her son John (Lorie), grandchildren Chad (Tiffany), Chase (Kari) and Curt (Carina), as well as her great-grandchildren Rowan, William, and Leslie.