- Date Of Birth: June 12, 1935
- Date Of Death: May 27, 2016
- State: Indiana
JoAnn K. Saunders, 80, of Elkhart, passed away Friday, May 27, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka after a brief illness due to complications from ovarian cancer.
She was born June 12, 1935, in Mishawaka, to Richard E. and Hazel B. (Goetz) Coil.
Survivors include two daughters, Kaye (Ted Trinkaus) Saunders of Snow Camp, N.C., and Liesl Bell of Elkhart; one sister, Shirley (Jack) Klingler of Elkhart; six grandchildren, Lauren (Lee) Nelson of Durham, N.C., Nick (Kristyn) Sloan of Murrells Inlet, S.C., Darby Bell of Corona, Calif., and Joanna Bell, AnneMarie Bell and Ross Bell, all of Elkhart; three great-grandchildren, Benjamin Sloan, Paisley Sloan and Marleigh Nelson; and one great-granddaughter Nelson, expected soon.
JoAnn received a bachelor of music education degree from Olivet Nazarene College and a master of music education from Indiana University South Bend.
She taught elementary music in public schools for 35 years at Penn Harris Madison and Goshen Community Schools. She directed many children’s choirs and church choirs in the Michiana area. JoAnn played piano and sang beautifully, everything from hymns to rollicking Irish tunes (her favorite). She was a true entertainer at heart, with a gift for making people feel special.
