Joan Lindall Holcomb, age 78

      Joan Lindall Holcomb passed away on Dec. 19, 2012 at Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick, Md. She was born Darlene Joan Dagny Lindall on June 22, 1934, in Parkers Prairie, Minn., to Oscar and Dagny Lindall, and was the youngest of three children including Dale Lindall, her brother, and Ramona Arehart, her sister.

      Joan worked for many years as the executive director of Helpline House. She truly lived a life of service to others from coast to coast, starting from her work at National Institutes of Health after graduating college, continuing to her work at Helpline House, and culminating in her taking care of her grandchildren during her son’s military service, and of her older brother through his battle with cancer.

      In her later years, upon retirement, she moved back to her family home in Parkers Prairie. In the past year and a half she moved to Maryland to be near family, due to health issues. She was a resident of Vindobona Nursing Center of Braddock Heights, MD, at the time of her death.

She is survived by her children; Matt, John, and Peter; and her seven grandchildren. Of her siblings, she is survived by her sister Ramona of Boulder, Colo.

      In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Helpline House, Inc, 282 Knechtel Way NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.

      A memorial service was held at the Church of the Transfiguration in Braddock Heights, Md., on Dec. 29, 2012. Interment will be in the family burial plot in Parkers Prairie, in accordance with her wishes, at a later date, with the final burial service to be held at First Evangelical Lutheran Church where she was baptized, confirmed and married. Please sign the guest book at www.dbthompsonfuneralhome.com.

      Friends of Joan are invited to an informal gathering in her memory at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 at the social hall at Bethany Lutheran Church, 7968 Finch Road.