Joan Wortman Larson

Joan Wortman Larson, the oldest of five children of Rosella Lavina (Livengood) and Reed Merritt Wortman, was born on her parent's farm south of Hastings, Iowa on May 10, 1934. Joan grew up in the Hastings and Strahan area and graduated from the Strahan High School in 1951. Following school Joan moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa were she did clerical work. Joan became aquainted with Theodore Jerome Larson of Gheen, Minnesota. Theo was stationed at the Offut Air Force Base in Bellevue, NE. They were married and were blessed with four daughters; Pat, Donna, Kathy, and Sande. In 1970, Joan began work for the Job Services of Iowa's Council Bluffs office. Joan worked as a manpower specialist and retired after 28 years of service in December of 1998. Joan was an advocate for the poor and devoted many hours to their wellbeing. In 2001 she moved from her Council Bluffs home to Scottsdale, Arizona where she could spend more time with her grandchildren. Joan died at her home in Scottsdale on December 15, 2003, having attained the age of 69 years, 7 months, and 5 days. Joan is preceded in death by her father. She is survived by her mother Rosella Wortman of Hastings, IA; daughters Pat Polinko and her husband Bob of Omaha, NE, Donna Mika, Kathy Larson, and Sande Leitz and her husband Robert all of Scottsdale, AZ; brothers Merritt Wortman and his wife Pat of Hastings, IA and Roger Wortman and his wife Carol of Shannon City, IA; sisters Valerie "Louise" Hines and her husband Carl of Denver, MO, Beverly Gammon and her husband Marland of Glenwood, IA; 9 grandchildren; neices and nephews, other relatives and friends.