Joan Carol Morton

Obituary

Joan Carol Morton was born the daughter of Theodore and Viola (Schroeder) Dobbratz on December 29, 1942, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  She attended Shorewood High School in Milwaukee. Joan went on to earn her Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Soil Science from Indiana State University. 

She was joined in marriage October 28, 1967, to Daniel Haley. No children were born to this union. Joan’s employment experience included instructor of soil science at a number of higher education institutions including Illinois State University and College of DuPage, environmental coordinator and meteorologist for the City of Chicago, environmental advisor for the Chicago Lung Association, real estate sales for Coldwell Banker and later years employed as a contract administration specialist for Rosemount Engineering in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Joan lost her first husband, Dan Haley, to a breathing illness in December 1998 while she was working at Rosemount Engineering. 

A few years later (2004) Joan decided to try her hand at being a farm “babe” as we like to tease her.  She fell in love with another Dan – Daniel L. Morton of Winthrop, Minnesota.  She met this Dan while working at Rosemount Engineering in Chanhassen.  They married on August 24, 2004.  Dan took her down to the farm and the new adventure began…Joan was ready for it!!  (pretty much!)  She was quickly baling hay, even “doing time” on the hay rack as well as driving tractor and baler.  Fall harvest meant buttering up lots of sandwiches and rounding off the lunch boxes with homemade cake or cookies, fruit and the favorite soda pops.  Lunches were made and delivered to the guys and then sometimes Joan needed to locate wagons around the field for the combine or sometimes pull them to town with the pick-up truck to dump the grain at the elevator.  Then there was helping fix the flat tires or getting equipment pulled out of the mud holes.  And sometimes needing to create a good idea how to “fix it” when stuff broke!  Of course, in the summer the lawn had to be mowed and yard raked.  Gardening work was mainly to encourage Dan to “keep hoeing”!  Joan truly has been an amazing “barn babe”!!

Joan’s #1 job which she loved the most was being Grandma to her eight grandchildren (children of Dan Jr, Dalynn and Deborah from Dan’s first marriage to Donna Jean Land, a Nebraska Sandhills girl who was lost in a car accident December 4, 2000.)  Joan was an awesome Grandma!!  Dan Jr., the best man at the wedding 15 years ago, in his banquet speech comments thanked Joan for marrying the “Family” and defined her new assumed responsibility as a “relief pitcher for Mom, Donna.”  Joan played a great game and she won!!!  We all love her so much.

Joan’s hobbies included stained glass crafting, writing poetry, reading, puzzles, drawing, painting and after all these years back to coloring parties with her special friends who were so much a part of her joy and she loved dearly.

Joan surrendered her life to Jesus and knew Him as her personal savior.  Joan lived out her testimony shining a light for the Lord every day, was baptized as an adult in October 2014 and trusted in Him always.  Joan loved her Lord Jesus and she loved her family.  She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Joan Carol is survived by her:
Husband, Dan on the farm;
Children, that now make up her immediate family Dan Jr and wife Deann,
Dalynn and husband Emory;
Deborah and husband Jon;
Grandchildren, Dayne, Donnae, Drayden (Dan Jr) Elynn, Easton (Dalynn) and Katelyn, Anna, Elizabeth (Deborah);
Sister, Nancy Brown;
Nephews, Tim, Dan, Jonathan;
Niece, Christine and their children Josh, Jokobe, Alyssa, Christopher, Gabe and Eli;
Other relatives and friends.

Joan was preceded in death by her Parents, Theodore and Viola Dobbratz; and First Husband, Dan Haley.