W. Joanne Karns

W. Joanne Karns, 74, of St. Joseph died Wednesday, April 17, at Woodland Terrace in Bridgman. Joanne, the daughter of Wilford and Bertha (Lowe) Kroll, was born on October 10, 1928 in Panther, West Virginia. She graduated with a degree from McMillan Hospital School of Nursing in Charleston, West Virginia. She went to Anderson College in Indiana and worked as a registered nurse at St. John?s Hospital in Anderson. She met Robert E. Karns while in Anderson, and they were married on February 20, 1954. When her family moved to Michigan, she worked at Memorial Hospital in St. Joseph. She left the hospital environment when her children were school age and went to work for the Berrien County Intermediate School District as the nurse at Gard School in St. Joseph and then later at the Blossomland Learning Center in Berrien Springs where she remained until her retirement in 1989. Joanne was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, loyal friend, and dedicated caregiver. She was an Elder and Deacon for many years at the Fairplain Presbyterian Church. She spent her life taking care of others?family, friends, and students. Her greatest desire was to help people. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and friends. Joanne was preceeded in death by her husband Robert E. Karns on December 30, 2000. She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Vicki L. Karns of Boston; son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Sharon Karns, and two grandchildren, Jeremy Stevenson Karns and Anna Rose Karns, of Marshall. She is also survived by one sister, Norma Jean Cheek, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Visitation will be on Monday evening from 5 to 8 P.M. at the Fairplain Presbyterian Church, 210 W. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday at the Fairplain Presbyterian Church with Dr. John Munson officiating. Memorials in her memory may be made to Hospice at Home or the American Cancer Society. Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.