Joan Widmer Obituary (1928

Joan (Jo) Widmer, 94, of Bloomington, formerly of Gridley, passed away Saturday January 28, 2023, at 4:45 PM in Martin Health Center at Westminster Village, Bloomington, Illinois. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday April 14 at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home in Bloomington and from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Saturday April 15 at Christ Community Church in Gridley. A memorial service celebrating the life of Joan will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Burial will be in Gridley Cemetery immediately following the service. She was born Martha Joan Kuerth on March 13, 1928, at Brokaw Hospital in Normal, Illinois. She was the daughter of Ezra E. and Hester Adams Kuerth and married Edwin J. Widmer on December 31, 1947, at the Union Congregational Church in Gridley, IL. Her cherished husband of 47 years preceded her in death on July 20, 1994. One daughter-in-law, Becky Sue Ijams Widmer, and her one sister, Carolyn Asper, also preceded her in death. She was the beloved mother of two sons, Mark (Terry) Widmer of McKinney, TX and Rob (Jane) Widmer of Bloomington, IL; loving grandmother to six grandsons - Matt (Jessica) Widmer of Allen, TX, Greg (Jennifer) Widmer of Aurora, IL, Andrew (Adrienne) Widmer of Dallas, TX, Jeff (Amanda) Widmer of Bloomington, IL, Brad Widmer of Pleasant Plains, IL, and Brock (Hayley) Werner of Lincoln, IL; and great-grandmother to 16 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are her brother-in-law, Harry Widmer of Lexington, SC, and sister-in-law, Dorie Widmer of Normal, IL as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Joan was a homemaker and her husband's best friend and helper on the farm for over 44 years. She was very active in her church and the Gridley community. Joan served 14 years on the Gridley Public Library Board. For approximately 50 years she was actively involved with the McLean County Homemakers Extension. Joan served her church in many capacities giving of her time and effort to share her Christian faith with others. She was recognized as a warm, caring, gregarious, loving, and generous person to those who knew her, always willing to give of herself to help another. Joan enjoyed cooking and special days baking cookies with her grandchildren, sewing, studying the Scriptures, reading, traveling, and socializing with friends and family. She enjoyed making new friends and nurturing others while serving as social coordinator for fellow residents of her independent living unit at Westminster Village. Joan strived to always remain positive and to live by the motto: "Happiness is a way of traveling, not a destination." She willingly shared the gift of gracious hospitality while remaining a humble, prayerful servant of her Lord. Joan greatly treasured the time she was able to spend with friends and family. She was immensely proud of her Christian heritage and the Christian legacy she imparted to her family. The family gratefully acknowledges and thanks the staff at Westminster Village as well as Carle Hospice for their tender care of Joan during the last years of her life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the Gridley Public Library, the Westminster Village Foundation, or a charity of the donor's choice.