Joan Adele Hester was born on December 28, 1941, in Mount Shasta, California. She spent her childhood in Spokane, Washington, and later lived in Jackson, Mississippi, before eventually returning to Spokane, where she made her home.

On August 12, 2026, Joan went to meet her parents, leaving behind a family whose lives were shaped by the love, hard work, and care she gave throughout her life.

Joan was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her children, Elizabeth A. Fletcher, William R. Hester, Frances M. Martin, Harry L. Hester, and Leslie A. Hester, along with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Elizabeth and her five children have blessed the family with 24 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. William is the father of two children and grandfather to three. Frances is the mother of two and grandmother to one. Leslie is the mother of four. Through her children and the generations that followed, Joan’s family grew into a living legacy that will continue long after her passing.

Joan is also survived by her sisters, Linda M. McGrath and Judith A. Hinds, and her brother, John R. Stone.

Joan was a woman who worked hard and took pride in caring for the things and people around her. She found joy in gardening and cooking, creating a home filled with the simple, meaningful things that make life feel cared for. Her hands were often busy, whether tending to her garden or preparing something for the people she loved.

Her life was not defined by grand gestures, but by the everyday ways she showed up, worked hard, cared for her family, and made a place for herself within the generations that came after her.

Joan will be missed by her family and all those who knew her. Her memory will remain in the family she built, in the gardens she tended, in the food she prepared, and in the many lives that carry a piece of her forward.

A graveside service will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow at Das Stein Haus.

She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.