Nee Joan Adele Hanney
9/16/1926 ~ 05/15/2016
Joan Salter Wierson passed away May 15, 2016 after a four month illness. Of Welsh and English descent, she was born and raised in Hiawatha, Kansas. Joan moved to Winter Park, Florida at the age of 14. She attended Rollins College and Florida State University, where she was “Miss Co-educational” as FSU and UF became coed. It was here that she met UF student Richard Sexton Salter, Jr., married, and moved to Phoenix in 1947 where they raised three surviving children. Divorced after nearly 25 years, Joan remarried Rudolph (Rudy) Wierson for 28 years.
Joan retired from the Arizona Department of Education after thirty years as an executive assistant. She loved horses, dogs, camping, reading, shopping, traveling, friends of Bill W., her family, and most of all, her God. Called the “Prayer Warrior” by family, Joan’s inner and outer spirit were truly beautiful.
She is survived by her children, Richard Sexton Salter III (Norma), Scott Edward Salter (Pamme’), and Sue Salter Dietrich (Thomas), grandchildren Kimberly Cortright, Ryan Murphey, Richard S. Salter IV, Stephen Salter, Christine Salter, and Diana Salter Stack. Joan loved and prayed for nine great grandchildren. Her family may miss her presence but is comforted knowing she is with her Father, in whom she trusted completely.
Joan’s Celebration of Life will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. May 19th at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church in Paradise Valley, AZ. Visitation from 9:00-9:45 a.m. Friday, May 20th is followed by her Memorial Service at 10:00 a.m. in the Music Center at St. Barnabas.
I was blessed to have a chance to visit, however briefly, with Aunt Joan on April 21st while in Phoenix for a conference, thanks to Scott. Rudy was still alive when I last had the chance to visit. Our families were never as close as I’d wished. I hope to stay in contact with my surviving cousins and pray that all are doing well. Thank you, Aunt Joan, for being so kind to me.
I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the family. The Bible holds out a promise for all mankind at 1Cor. 15:26 that “the last enemy death will be brought to nothing.” We are assured of this at Revelation 21:3,4 which Jehovah God promises that “he will wipe out every tear from their eyes and death will be no more neither will mourning, nor outcry be anymore. The former things have passed away.