Joan A. Moeller, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, and cherished member of her church and community passed away peacefully on December 6, 2024, at the age of 89. Known for her unique sense of humor and warm heart, Joan left an indelible mark on everyone lucky enough to cross her path.
Services were held on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, MO, with a visitation 4:00-6:00pm followed by the funeral service at 6:00pm. Burial in Maple Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, KS, on December 12, 2024 at 11:00am.
Joan was born June 4, 1935 in Kansas City, KS, a daughter of Chauncey Allen and Ethel Aliene (Lewis) Payne. She was a 1953 graduate of Argentine High School and a 1957 graduate of the University of Kansas.
Joan approached life with a sharp wit and a sparkle in her eye. Whether sharing a laugh with her family, delivering a zinger that left everyone in stitches, or offering wisdom laced with just the right amount of sarcasm, she had a way of making people feel loved while keeping them on their toes.
A lifelong educator, Joan dedicated herself to teaching with equal parts patience and humor. She often joked that everything she needed to know, she had learned from 7th Graders. Her students not only learned their lessons, but also gained life skills, like how to laugh at themselves and keep going even when things got tough. She retired in 2001 after 26 years at the Harrisonville Middle School.
Joan’s faith was central to her life. She was an active member of the Harrisonville United Methodist Church, where her voice added a joyful note to the choir. She loved to serve her community and could always be counted on to lend a helping hand, a kind word, or a well-timed joke to lighten the mood.
She was a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association, the Kansas University Alumni Association, the Cass County Retired Teachers Association, the Hodge Podge Teachers Group, the Chaldeans, and the Lions Club. Her family was her greatest joy. She leaves behind her 3 children, Brenda K. Noland, of Peculiar, MO, Bradley R. Moeller and wife, Stephanie, of Topeka, KS, and Matthew C. Moeller and wife, Christina, of Colorado Springs, CO; her 8 grandchildren, and her 11 great-grandchildren, who inherited her gift for finding humor in life’s chaos. Joan’s love, wisdom, and laughter were the foundation of her family and will be missed deeply.
The service will be a Kansas Jayhawk Affair: Crimson and Blue or Jayhawk attire encouraged. The family asks that donations be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or Travel to Hope in lieu of flowers.
Joan A. Moeller’s legacy of love, service, and laughter will live on in the hearts of her family and friends. While she may have left us, her humor and spirit remain, reminding us to embrace life’s quirks, cherish the people around us, and never take ourselves too seriously.
