JOAN ROUSE
April 6, 1939-April 26, 2009
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Joan Yvonne Rouse, 70, died Sunday.
A service of remembrance will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday from Rouse Funeral Home of LaGrange. Interment will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Pinelawn Memorial Park.
Joan was born April 6, 1939, in Lenoir County to the late Esdras Willard Rouse Sr. and Anna Hicks Bland Rouse. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Elbert C. Rouse, and a sister, Sandra Bland Rouse.
Joan graduated from Moss Hill High School and received her license as a registered nurse from Wayne Community College, where she received the Student Nurse Of The Year Award. Joan worked many years with Wayne Memorial Hospital prior to obtaining certification in occupational health nursing. She then worked as plant nurse at General Electric and Acme United for several years. Joan later implemented the Health Care Clinic at Carolina Turkeys.
She was a member of Union Baptist Church.
Joan assisted her husband with Babe Ruth Baseball and served as an officer at both the local and state levels. Joan enjoyed working in the yard, collecting antiques, interior design, sewing, reading biographies, traveling, genealogy and current events.
She was president of the Moss Hill Alumni Assoc-iation, which replaced the landmark moss-covered oak trees on the school campus and was co-director of the first Ole Timey Days Festival in Seven Springs.
Joan was a member of the Lenoir County Historical Society and participated in the recent celebration of her ancestor, Richard Caswell. Her greatest joy was spending time with her loving family and devoted special friends.
Joan is survived by a daughter, Leesa Rouse of Pikeville; son, Joel "Joey" Elbert Rouse and wife, Donna, of Goldsboro; three grandchildren, Joely Alexandra Rouse, Jenna Elizabeth Rouse and Jessica Erin Grant; two great-grandchildren, Payton Conner Grant and Riley-Cooper Grant; sister, Ann Rouse Price of Seven Springs; brother, E. Willard "Fella" Rouse Jr. and wife, Lydia, of Kinston; nephews, Jody Rouse and wife, Mollie, and Jason Rouse; cousin, Chris Rouse and wife, Brenda, of Atlanta, Ga.; goddaughter, Heather Rouse; and special family friends, Debby Jones and Judy and Kenn Hudson.
The family will receive friends Thursday following the service of remembrance, and at other times they will be at the home of Fella and Lydia Rouse located at the intersection of N.C. 55 and Hardy Bridge Road.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.rousefh.com.
Flowers are welcome or memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.
Arrangements are with Rouse Funeral Home of LaGrange.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on April 29, 2009 1:47 PM