Joan K. Clements

Joan Katherine Clements, 80, of Elgin, IL passed away at Journeycare Hospice in Barrington on Wednesday, September 22nd at 3:45PM. She was born in New Albin, IA on February 28, 1941, and grew up in LaCrosse, WI. and then LaCrescent, MN.

Joan was a lifelong member of the Evangelical & Reformed Church, which then became the United Church of Christ. Her parents, Maynard and Lorena Sinrud, moved into a house close by the parsonage of the church they became members of, St. John’s Evangelical & Reformed. Their home was between the church and the LaCrosse Children’s Home, and this is where her perspectives on life and faith were formed. One of the highlights of this time was when her confirmation class travelled to Purdue University in the fall of 1954 to hear a young, up and coming pastor speak. That pastor was Dr. Martin Luther King, and after hearing him, the school bus of confirmands travelled up to Chicago’s South Side where they learned firsthand what Dr. King was speaking about. Joan was confirmed and married in St. John’s church to Duane Clements of LaCrosse in October of 1963.

Joan began her career as a secretary at Trane Co. but when the couple bought their first home in Holiday Heights, she became a stay-at-home mom to her son Paul. The family moved to Elgin, IL in 1972 and Joan eventually went back to work at the regional office of Safeco Insurance where she became the HR Admin., a position she held for more than 30 years. Joan relished being the first person someone met as they came into the office, because she loved people and she loved helping others. Her work led to literally hundreds of lifelong friendships through the years with people across the country who kept in touch with her until her passing. Even her bosses, including her very first, not only stayed in touch with her, but came to visit her right up through her final days. In addition to being a great employee, in some ways, she was like a mom to these men and in others like a wise old sage, whose calming presence and homespun wisdom solved problems and diffused stressful situations.

The love of Joan’s life was her family, and her favorite place was the kitchen table. She adored the Jordans, which were her mother’s side of the family, and New Albin, IA. always held a special place in her heart. Weekdays were for work, but weekends were for family, so when Joan and Duane moved to Elgin, they selected the location, because she had relatives there. So, then, while she could no longer be in New Albin on weekends, she could still spend time with the family she loved, visiting, eating, eating some more, and maybe even playing a card game.

She joined St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Elgin, where she taught the kindergarten and her husband was a deacon, roles they held for many years. They also enjoyed the active social life the church offered. They belonged to the Pacers Club, attended events regularly, and a day did not go by that she was not on the phone with her friends from St. Paul’s. As her health declined, the highlight of her week became the St. Paul’s Sunday service she was able to watch on Zoom.

When Joan did retire from Safeco, it was only because she wanted to spend more time with her husband and her granddaughter, Veronica. They picked her up after school, found summer classes and camps to take her to, travelled the country with her, watched all of her soccer games and spent hours and hours with her at the kitchen table, coloring, playing games, snacking and doing homework.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents and husband, and is survived by her son, her daughter in-law Felicité, her granddaughter and her brother, John.

Services will be held on Monday, Oct 4, 2021, at St. John’s United Church of Christ in La Crosse. Visitation will be at 11:00 a.m., services at noon and refreshments after. The family asks that Memorials go to St. John’s United Church of Christ and the Alzheimer’s Association ( alz.org ).