Joan McKay Brinton passed away peacefully on February 21, 2020, in Tempe, Arizona after a prolonged illness. Joan was born September 9, 1951, in Price, Utah to Ernest and Lucille (Gold) McKay. She moved to Mesa as a young child and grew up and raised her family here.
Joan was a talented violin player, singer and musician. She loved playing her violin and the piano for her family and others. Joan also loved to perform in plays and musicals, and was involved in theater at Mesa Little Theater, Mesa Musical Theater and MCC Summer Theater for many years. She was also a gifted seamstress and loved to make formal dresses and wedding dresses for her daughters and others. She was also a talented scrapbook artist, and had spent many hours creating beautiful visual family histories for her children and extended family. Joan loved to see her children and grandchildren perform in choir, orchestra, band, or on stage. She rarely missed a performance. She also enjoyed singing and loved all good music.
Joan attended Mesa Public Schools and graduated from Westwood High School, Class of 1969. She graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Elementary Education. Joan was a dedicated first and second grade teacher at Mesa Public Schools, Murphy Elementary School in Phoenix and Boulder Creek Elementary School in Gilbert for 19. Joan was also fluent in Spanish and was an ESL teacher to many children over the years. She loved teaching children to read, and loved to see her students succeed.
Joan was a life-long, active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She met her husband Dil Jr at the Mesa Community College Institute where they were in charge of the young adult activities for several years. They were married in the Mesa Temple on June 6, 1972. Joan also served in many callings including callings in the Relief Society, Primary and MIA. Her favorite calling was playing the piano in the Primary and being a primary teacher with her husband.
Joan is survived by her husband Dilworth Jr.; children Joyce (Joseph) Anderson, Los Alamos, NM; Marie (Matthew) Porter, Chandler, AZ; Dilworth Ernest, Mesa, AZ; and James M, Arlington VA. Grandchildren are: Melanie, Meredith, McKay and Maxwell Porter, and James, Jeffrey and Janey Anderson; Her siblings are: Jeanne (Nelson) Boren, Cameron (Cindy) McKay, Ernest (Elizabeth) McKay, Robert (Antonia) McKay, and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank all who have served Joan over the years, including friends, relatives, ministering sisters and visiting teachers in Forest Ward and Mesa Central Stake. We are also thankful for the dedicated care Joan received at Banner Desert Hospital from the staff of the ICU and also from Hospice of the Valley.
A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 27 and one hour prior to services at Forest Ward 1345 E. University, Mesa, AZ. Funeral service will be held at the Forest Ward 1345 E. University, Mesa AZ at 10 a.m. on Feb. 28. 2020. Interment will be at Mesa City Cemetery.
My prayers are with you and your family. I truly live you Joyce.
Dil and Dil … So sorry to hear of the passing of your wife and mother. Glad you can have peace and comfort through the Holy Ghost. So
My best thoughts and wishes go out the Brinton family. Another loss from a great family. We’ll all deeply miss you.
To Dil and family,
I want to send my condolences to you because you are going to miss your wife and mother more than you know. She loved her family so much and loved to talk about all of you. I was her Visiting Teacher for a long time and enjoyed visiting with her every month. After they changed me she became very ill and I know Dil has taken good care of her for several years. She will be blessed and out of pain now. She loved the Gospel.
My prayers are for you all.
So sorry to hear such sad news. She was an amazing person – always such a bright spark in an ever-darkening world. She will be sorely missed.
Dil: I am so sorry to hear of your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
I will miss Joan very much. She is perhaps the most gentle, kind and loving person I’ve ever met. I look forward to celebrating her wonderful life; she clearly has given so much to so many.
Hi Dil, so sorry to hear of Joan’s passing. Thinking of you & your family.
I am so sorry for your loss. I have many fond memories of Joan, especially working on the props crew for a couple of the summer musicals at Westwood HS. I also loved getting to meet Joyce and Marie as very young ladies in my hair shop. You’re all in my prayers. Love you too.
I will always remember Joan as my best friend in high school. We laughed long, passed tons of notes, and made fun of our choir teacher. Joan was one good reason to show up for school.
I am sad she beamed away. Mary
Dil, So sorry to hear of the loss of your dear wife. My prayers are with you and your family. Darren
I so remember singing with Joan in the High School choir. She is a sweet and special and great lady. Our prayers are with you.
Dilbert, I am so saddened to hear of your loss. My heartfelt condolences for you and your family. I truly appreciate the magnitude of your loss, having my wife pass suddenly last June. You and your family will be in my prayers for comfort, knowing you had many years of love and adventure together. Be strong in your faith, keep as much as your routine as possible. It will help you get thru this difficult time. Also take the time to grieve openly and deeply.
My love for you and family, Paul (We had many chats with scouting)
Dil and Family, you are in our thoughts and prayers. Please find strength though each other, peace through faith and comfort through a lifetime of wonderful memories.
Tho it has been a very long time since our paths have crossed, I still feel a little hole in my heart knowing that Joan is gone. However she is on my list of those I want to connect with in “the future “!! My family and I send our love and best thoughts to all of your family 🌻
So sorry to hear of Joan’s passing. May the Lord bless your beautiful family at this tender time. Our hearts and prayers are with you.
Dil I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. Please accept my heartfelt sympathies for you and your family. I will be keeping you in my prayers.
Dil and family, I was saddened to hear of Joan’s passing. I remember her when Jeanne and were at BYU that first summer, and later after she married Dil, and became a “cousin’s cousin” by marriage. She was a sweet and caring person.
Our deepest sympathies for the loss of your treasured partner.
So sorry to hear of this passing. I just found out just now. Such a nice woman.*sigh* Great in the Fiddler on the Roof play as the ‘ghost lady-wife’ flying all over the place. She did such a perfect job.