Joan Betty Andersen
And He walked her home after a life well lived…. Joan Betty Andersen left this world for heaven on Sunday, October 20th, 2019 at Pelican Bay Assisted Living Community in Beaumont, Texas with her loving husband Bob by her side, after a long-fought battle against the stroke that affected her over 4 years ago.

Joan Betty Arp was born in Astoria, Queens, New York on February 23, 1936 to her parents, Henry and Alma Arp. She was an only child and graduated high school early at 15 and went to work as a secretary, eventually landing at US Steel in downtown Manhattan. She met her husband, Bob, and after writing each other while he was serving in the US Army in post-World War II Europe, they married on February 2, 1957, the day after a blizzard and settled on Long Island, NY in Farmingdale. Her first born, Kyle was born in there in 1963. She moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when Bob was transferred with US Steel in 1965, where their daughters Karen and Kelly were born in 1966 and 1970. When Karen developed Cerebral Palsy, she took care of her at home for several years before she and Bob knew that they needed help. Karen then lived at Erie Infants Home until she was 21 and then at Allegheny Valley School’s Patricia Hillman Campus in Crafton, PA for over 30 years. They settled in the North Hills in Ingomar North, Pennsylvania. She was very active in many civic activities, such as the Newcomer Club, the Ingomar North Swim Club (of which she was the first female president), and Girl Scouts. In 1981, US Steel moved her once again to Orange, Texas where she lived until in the same house with Bob in Oak Creek Village for over 30 years. They spent the last few years in assisted living at both Dowlen Oaks and finally, Pelican Bay in Beaumont, Texas. More than the things she did, she will be remembered for the way she loved – family, friends, and strangers alike. She had such a quiet strength to her that may have included a little stubbornness, but that just added to her strength. She loved music and the arts. She enjoyed dancing and was a great roller skater back in the day. She was a cherished daughter, a beloved wife, and the most giving mother and grandmother.

Joan is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Alma Arp and in-laws Peter and Alma Andersen.

She is survived by her caring husband, Robert Charles Andersen, who has cared for her often times before himself, her son, Kyle Andersen (Viki), her special daughter Karen Andersen, and her daughter Kelly Andersen Jones (Nathan). She has 8 surviving grandchildren, Jonathan Jones, Luke Jones, Abby Jones, and Jacob Jones, and Kati Barrow, Mark Wilkinson, Adam Wilkinson, and Cayla Gillet (Benjamin). She also leaves 7 great-grandchildren, Payton Halbert, Ellen Berry, Braden and Ella Gillet, Ava and Teghan Barrow, with little Kyle due to arrive soon. She also leaves a brother-in-law Roy Andersen and cousins David Peterson, Phyllis Doig, Walter Arp, Matthew Arp, and JoAn Cox (Mike). The family would like to thank her caregiver, Tara Blanchard Smith, her caregivers at Pelican Bay including Andrea Freitag, and Tameka Wycoff, and mostly the angels from Best Hospice, Matt, Dayna, and Emily. They were the blessing that our family needed to make it through these past months.

Joan will be dearly missed but we know that she is home free….. Rest in peace Mom.

Local arrangements were made under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home in Orange, Texas.

There will be no local services for Joan, but the family will have a graveside service on Friday, October 25th 2019, at 1:30 PM, at Flushing Cemetery in Flushing, New York. Pastor Danny Rangel will officiate, and speaking will be her daughter Kelly Andersen Jones, son-in-law S. Nathan Jones, and grandsons Jonathan and Luke Jones.

In lieu of flowers, please send any gifts to the home where Joan’s daughter Karen lived for over 30 years. They may be sent to Merakey Allegheny Valley School Patricia Hillman Miller Campus (PHMC) 315 W. Prospect Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15205 in memory of Joan Andersen or in honor of Karen Andersen. You can also give online at https://avs.merakey.org/donate-now.html .