Joan Charlotte Branscom, 87, of Wheatland passed peacefully on September 30 in Laramie, surrounded by her loving family.
Joan was born in Newcastle on Dec. 1, 1938, and was the only child to Ethel Delilah Brook-Wellman and Jay Richard Wellman. Raised on a family ranch, southwest of Newcastle on Black Thunder Creek, she attended a rural, one-room school for grades one through eight.
She was active in many extracurricular activities while attending Newcastle High School. Those activities included; 4-H, FHA, a member of the debate team, band, and choir. She graduated from Newcastle High School in 1956, as the class Salutatorian. She was also Past Junior Princess and Majority Member of Job’s Daughters Bethel #15.
On Dec. 29, 1957, Joan married George Alfred Branscom in Newcastle before moving to Laramie. There she enrolled in the University of Wyoming. While attending UW she welcomed her first son, Douglas George Branscom in 1959. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 1962, and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, as well as, Delta Kappa Gamma.
A few months after graduating from UW in 1962, she had her second son, Alan Kent Branscom. In 1967 Joan, George, and their two boys moved to Wheatland.
Joan taught one year at the rural school she attended as a child, then in 1970 taught for Platte County School District #1 where she retired from teaching after 34 years. Within those years of teaching, she was very involved in N.E.A., W.E.A., P.C.E.A., was the four time honoree for the Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and was nominated for Cambridge Who’s Who for Professional and Business Women, before retiring in 2004.
She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star since 1956, was Past Matron of Wheatland Chapter #11, and member of Mizpah of Cheyenne Chapter #36.
Joan played organ and piano for several local churches, she was Grand Organist from
1983-1984. She was also involved in the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi - Chi Chapter of Laramie. Later, she earned the FFA Honorary Chapter Farmers Award and was a leader in 4-H for many years.
Joan later became involved in the P.E.O. organization with Chapter AW. She volunteered at, and was the secretary of the Laramie Peak Museum Board. For 10 years, was the director of the Wyoming Odyssey of the Mind Association. Joan was presented with the Quiet Disciple Award by the Wheatland United Methodist Church, as well as awarded with the Wyoming Friend of the Gifted.
She taught Tole and decorative painting in southeast Wyoming for 30 years, and was the proud owner of her business, Joan’s Tole ‘n Things.
Joan had a variety of hobbies including, decorative painting, playing the organ and piano, reading, traveling, square dancing, snowmobiling, horses and other pets, as well as, spending time with her grandkids.
She is preceded in death by her husband, George Alfred Branscom; her sons, Douglas George and Alan Kent Branscom; and her parents.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Brenda Branscom; grandchildren, Samantha (Brock) Weitzel, Jaylee, Dustin, Brandy, and Grace Branscom; great-grandchildren, Harper, Otto and Calvin Weitzel all of Laramie; her second cousin; Kay Todd of Wheatland; her two sister-in-laws; Edna Douglas of Upton, and Rose Brooks of Arlington, Texas, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
A viewing will be held in Wheatland at the United Church of Christ on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 9:00 a.m.
Funeral services will be held at the United Church of Christ, in Wheatland on Saturday, Oct.10 at 11:00 a.m. Interment service will be in the Wheatland Cemetery, with a reception immediately following the burial, in the basement of United Church of Christ.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be sent to Critters Inc. at https://www.crittersinc.org/donate or to the Hospice of Laramie at https://hospiceoflaramie.networkforgood.com/projects/133514-hospice-of-laramie
The Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel of Wheatland is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.gormanfh.com .
