Joan Jack

Joan Marie Jack passed away peacefully on Nov. 27, 2017, in South Lake Tahoe, surrounded by her loving family. She was 84.

She was born Joan Marie Pluth on Oct. 2, 1933, in Petaluma.

She met Don when she was just 17 years old. They were married a few days after her 18th birthday in 1951. Don and Joan moved to South Lake Tahoe with their young family in 1957 when she was 24.

While raising her growing family, she became an active parishioner at St. Theresa Catholic Church. She worked many jobs, including cocktail waitress at Harrah’s and secretary at the Catholic school. Joan obtained her real estate license in the early 1970s. She was instrumental in running the family construction business, building many houses in and around Lake Tahoe, including the Impossible Cabins.

Growing up in the Depression era, she knew the value of hard work and instilled that value in her children and grandchildren. She taught them to cook, sew, knit, crochet, hunt, fish, split wood, rake pine needles and shovel snow.

Joan was the organist at St. Theresa Church for nearly 60 years, and until recently she played and sang at the 8am Mass every Sunday.

She was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching her San Francisco Giants, the Green Bay Packers, and the San Francisco 49ers. She loved spending time outdoors with her husband hunting in Montana and fishing in Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake and the Sea of Cortez in Baja.

Joan fought through and survived many health challenges throughout her life and was the strength and backbone of her family. She called herself a survivor. Her family called her a warrior. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Jack in 2009; brother James Pluth in 1987, and brother Gerald Thompson in June of this year.

Joan is survived by her six children and their spouses, Sue (Bruce Detweiler), Paul (Lynda), Dave (Diane), Sandy (John Walsh), Marie (Damon Stokes), Lorri (Andy Williams). She was also loved by her 16 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A rosary will be Jan. 12 at 6pm at St. Theresa Catholic Church. Funeral Mass to be said Jan. 13 at 10am, followed by a celebration of her life in Grace Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to St. Theresa Catholic Church or Barton Hospice.