Joan J. Zell, 76, of West Union and formerly of Hawkeye, died Wednesday, January 3, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in West Union.

A Private Family Graveside Service will be held at Lima Cemetery at a later date. 

Joan Joyce, daughter of Joe and Clotildis (Goerend) Noel was born November 26, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She attended country school in rural Hawkeye and would later receive her G.E.D. from N.I.C.C. Joan was united in marriage with Lloyd Zell in West Union in 1958. To this union four children were born, Deb, Scott, Andy, and Jennifer. The couple would later divorce. Joan lived in Hawkeye for most of her life and worked at Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union for thirty years retiring on November 3, 2010. In 2014, she moved to West Union. She was a long time member of St. Francis Xavier in Hawkeye and most recently was a member of the United Methodist Church in West Union. Joan enjoyed scrabble, word games, crafting, collecting clowns, but most especially enjoyed spending time with her special friend, Russell Jones.

Joan is survived by her four children, Deb (Dale) Deuell of Plainfield, Scott Zell of Hawkeye, Andy (Alicia) Zell of Hammond, Louisiana, and Jennifer Jensen of West Union; seven grandchildren, C. J. Eggers, Amanda (Stephen) Pfeil, Travis Jensen, Aaron Zell, Austin Zell, Brian Jensen, and Emily Jensen; her mother, Clotildis Noel of West Union; and one brother, Don Noel of St. Paul, Minnesota.

She was preceded in death by her father, Joe Noel.