McClellan, Joanell 1950-2020

MCCLELLAN, BULT, HEEMSTRA, VANZANTE, EEKHOFF, NIKKEL, WILCOX, BARRY, BIRKS, BECK

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:36

Joanell McClellan
August 21, 1950 - December 22, 2020

On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, Joanell McClellan, loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend passed away at home at the age of 70. Private graveside services will be held at Waveland Cemetery. Donations may be directed to Prairie City Christian Reformed Church or Help A Heart. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com

Joanell was born on August 21,1950 in Grand Rapids, MI, the second child of Harold and Joanne (Bult) Heemstra. At the age of 10 her family moved to Prairie City, IA where she attended Prairie City Christian Grade School and Prairie City High School. On April 3, 1970 she married Ronald McClellan at the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church. Together they farmed north of Prairie City while raising their son John. Joanell started working for the Iowa Department of Revenue in 1985 and the family moved into town the same year.

Joanell was a mother to one, grandma to four, and 'Auntie' to her nieces and nephews. Growing up she had a passion for music which came through in her piano, organ, clarinet and guitar playing. Joanell had been a member of JOY, Coffee Break, and My Brother's Keeper Quilt Group. She continually served others. Joanell had a heart for the hurting and would bless them with food, cards and other encouragement. For 16 years she made weekly trips to Ankeny to provide loving support and care to her nephew Archie.

As much as Joanell loved serving and volunteering, her nieces, nephews and grandkids were the light of her life. She also had numerous honorary grandchildren - neighbors, kids at church and anyone else who was lucky enough to walk into her life. Joanell was known as being quietly, yet extravagantly, generous. She is counted as a valuable confidante and a formidable prayer warrior. Those who knew her can testify to her great faith and knowledge and love of scripture. Her friends and family will carry an unfillable void. We count ourselves blessed to have walked a bit of our journey together.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 50 years, Ron; son John and wife Rochelle (VanZante); and their children Zachary and Jamie (Bailey), Jacob, and Betsy. Also surviving are her sisters Kristen Eekhoff, Mary (Barry) Nikkel, and sister-in-law Lori Heemstra along with nephews and nieces Dan (Tricia) Nikkel, Jennifer (Cory Wilcox) Heemstra, Erik (Julie) Nikkel, AnnMarie (Sean) Barry, Archie Eekhoff, Susie (Clyde) Birks, Andy (Krista) Heemstra, Karen (Andrew) Beck, Michael (Erin) Eekhoff and 13 great-nieces and nephews.

Joanell was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Mike Heemstra, brother-in-law Mike Eekhoff, nephew Tommy John Eekhoff, and her parents-in-law Marvin and Evelyn McClellan.
Joanell would have loved nothing more than to see all the people she treasured gathering to celebrate who she was to them. Her prayer for each of you was that your relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ would grow and deepen. ~ The Coburn Funeral Home, Prairie City, Iowa 22 Dec 2020.