Joan M. Higel

A Funeral Service for Joan will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Geneva, Nebraska with Pastor Josh Hillmann presiding. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with family present from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva, Nebraska. Graveside Services will be held following the funeral service at the Geneva Public Cemetery. Memorials are to be directed to the family to be designated at a later date in Joan's name. A Livestream of Joan’s Funeral Service will start at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 7, 2024 and will be on Farmer & Son Funeral Home's Facebook Page. You do not have to have Facebook to view the Livestream as it is a publicly shared Facebook page. Joan M. Higel was born on August 17, 1936 in Sutherland, Nebraska to Jess Nye Foglesong and Anna Elizabeth (Zoerb) Foglesong. She passed away on May 21, 2024 at Fairview Manor in Fairmont, Nebraska at the age of 87 years. Joan spent her childhood in the western part of Nebraska with her parents and two brothers, Beryl and Bob. Her family moved to North Platte when she was in elementary school. She graduated from North Platte High School in 1955. After high school she lived in Denver for a while where she worked at a bank. After living in Denver, she moved to Arizona and spent several years there. Nebraska was always her home so she eventually returned and decided to go back to college to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. She graduated from Doane University with an Associate’s Degree in Teaching in 1966. She then moved to Geneva and took a job with Geneva Public Schools. She taught a variety of different grades there for 32 years. She loved teaching. She enjoyed all of her students so much, and found many lifelong friends with her fellow teachers. She had so many wonderful stories that she liked to share about her time teaching. Shortly after moving to Geneva, Joan met the love of her life, Robert (Bob) Higel. They met in the spring of 1967 and were married that summer. The two spent many weekends square dancing, going to bowling tournaments, baseball games and traveling with family on vacation. They raised two daughters, Jamie and Marci. Joan was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Geneva. She was active with the Ladies Aid group and the church choir. After retiring she enjoyed spending time at the Geneva Senior Center. She helped with many activities and for a while wrote stories for the Senior Newsletter. She also looked forward to her weekly coffee get-togethers with her neighborhood friends. Joan loved being a wife, mom, grandma and great grandma. She was so happy whenever she got to spend time with her loved ones. She enjoyed going on family vacations, attending events for her daughters, baking cookies during the holidays, ceramics, playing family games, and always watched the Huskers play volleyball, and football. Joan’s love and light will continue to shine through her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Jess and Anna Foglesong; brother, Beryl Foglesong, brother, Bob Foglesong; her parents-in-law, Melvin and Mildred Higel, and nephew, Robert Foglesong. Joan is survived by her husband, Bob; daughter, Jamie (Jeff) James of Taylorsville, KY; daughter, Marci (Brian) McGuire of Phoenix, AZ; grandson, Jason (Ruthy) James of Las Vegas, NV; grandson, Jake (Samantha) James of Taylorsville, KY; grandson, Jonas McGuire of Phoenix, AZ; six great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins and friends.

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Joan M. Higel

August 17, 1936 - May 21, 2024