Surrounded by family members singing her favorite hymn, Phyllis JoAn Fink Wilson, a “Super-Duper” wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend, began her new life on May 1, 2024, at age 92.
Born to Clinton and Dora Fink on December 1, 1931 in Quinter, Kansas, JoAn graduated from the University of Kansas where she met her future husband, Richard “Dick” Wilson, in a dance class. JoAn and Dick were married for 54 years and had three children: Rick, Steve and Trish – all of whom learned to jitterbug. Their legacy includes two daughters-in-law, a son-in-law, 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren (and counting!).
Family and faith were JoAn’s passions. She was a devoted homemaker who supported her children in all their activities, serving on school PTAs and working various jobs to help pay for her kids’ college. As her family expanded she hosted grandkids for vacations and sleepovers and traveled to help out as needed, generating a whole lot of lifelong memories along the way. She passed on her love of family by sharing stories of growing up in western Kansas and compiling an extensive genealogy of both the Fink and Treu families that included her 12 aunts and uncles and 25 first cousins.
JoAn attended church her entire life and developed a deep appreciation and knowledge of Scripture. She taught Bible studies at every church she attended as an adult in Albany NY, Palatine, IL, Indianapolis, IN and Lawrence, KS. Her faith was very personal and she recounted vivid visualizations of meeting with Jesus that provided comfort and strength throughout the ups and downs of life.
JoAn is reunited in heaven with her husband, daughter, and grandson, Rudy, along with her parents, brother, all those aunts and uncles, many cousins and dear friends who passed before her. She leaves those still living who knew and loved her with wonderful memories and the great hope of a future reunion in the presence of her Lord.
Memorial Service to be held at 1:00 pm Saturday, May 18th, 2024, at First Baptist Church Address 1330 Kasold Dr, Lawrence, KS 66049.
Graveside Service to be held at the Baker Township Cemetery in Quinter, Kansas at 1:30 pm on Sunday, May 19th.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to First Baptist Church of Lawrence, KS, or the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission in Santa Barbara, CA.
JoAn was a dear friend, mentor and role model, we shared many laughs and some very real heartaches. She always told me as she aged how “content” and loved she was by her family. Ted and I have great memories of many fried chicken dinners she prepared for us
at her home. Pretty sure she and Dick are jitterbugging in heaven.
What a blessing it was to have her in our life…