Joan met her husband Tom while she was attending St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in 1957. They were married for 57 years and raised three children in Omaha, Nebraska. Throughout this time Joan continued her love for learning and received her Master’s Degree and Ph.D from the University of Nebraska. During her lifetime, Joan was known for her strong work ethic and passion for helping others. She dedicated her career to nursing education and retired in 2012 after many years serving as Associate Dean and Director of The Accelerated Nursing Graduate Program at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Her commitment to her career left a lasting impact on those she worked with and her students. Upon her retirement from Creighton University in 2012, the Joan Norris Mentorship Scholarship was created in her name.
Joan was an avid reader throughout her lifetime. She enjoyed novels and mysteries and would generously share books with others. She and Tom enjoyed traveling and took many trips and cruises to other countries and enjoyed traveling with grandchildren. Watching her grandchildren’s sporting events, school performances and dance recitals were also special times. A memory forever cherished by the family will be April 21st of this past year when Joan was honored by the Nebraska Nurses Honor Guard. Surrounded by family, friends, and staff at High Plains Alzheimer’s and Memory Care and Aseracare Hospice, Joan was celebrated for her distinguished years in nursing. Joan will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing her. She will be remembered for her warm smile, kind heart, quick wit, and the love she had for her family. Her legacy will continue to live on in the lives of her children and grandchildren, who are grateful for the invaluable lessons she imparted and the memories they shared. A college project conducted by Joan’s granddaughter posed the question, “How would you like to be remembered?”. Joan’s response was “I hope others remember how much I loved my family.”
She is survived by her son Mike Norris (Laurie) and daughters, Michelle Phillips (Tim) and Marti Goodwin, (Bruce). Dearly loved by Joan were her grandchildren Ryan, Kaeli, Justin, Emily, Connor, Corey, Mitchell and Matthew. In her lifetime she was blessed with several great grandchildren; Lijam, Gigi, Zayden, Josephine, Mackenzie, Sloane and Grayson. Joan was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas Norris, and sister Judith Vande Voorde.
A graveside service will be scheduled in Omaha, Nebraska at a later date.
Arrangements are under the care of Roper and Sons at 4300 O Street in Lincoln, Nebraska.
To honor her memory, memorials may be directed to the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard at 29818 East Park Highway Ashland, Ne. 88003 or Creighton University- Joan Norris Scholarship Fund at Creighton University-School of Nursing PO Box 38202, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178.