Joan Molly Susanna Gernant

Joan Molly Susanna was the daughter of Lenard and Elizabeth (Hart) Yost. She was born on Oct. 9, 1933, in Billings, Montana, and baptized into Christ on Jan. 7, 1934, at First German Congregational Church, in Billings. She was confirmed in the Christian faith on June 6, 1948, at Big Timber Lutheran Church, Big Timber, Montana. She graduated from Sweet Grass County High School in Big Timber in 1951. Soon thereafter she moved to Billings, where she worked at the Mountain Bell telephone company.

Joan married Clarence John Gernant on Nov. 8, 1958, at First German Congregational Church in Billings. They were blessed with two daughters and a son. Joan and John farmed on the Emblem Bench of the Big Horn Basin in Wyoming until 1966, then they moved to Billings, Montana where Joan worked at Security Bank as an operator. In 1973, they moved to Fort Benton, Montana, where they owned and operated a Gambles hardware store. In 1979, they moved to Worland, Wyoming, where Joan worked as a cashier at Jon’s IGA grocery store and then as a bank teller at Stock Growers bank. Joan and John were active members of the Missouri Synod Lutheran churches in the places where they lived, most recently of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Worland, where Joan was active in the LWML and the altar guild for many years. Joan was a caring and generous wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, who enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren. She also enjoyed gardening, embroidery, playing pinochle, and reading.

After her husband’s death in 2002, Joan continued to live in their home in Worland for almost fourteen years. In 2016, she moved to Albuquerque, NM to live with her daughter Josie, son-in-law Charlie, and granddaughter Liz, who lovingly cared for her for seven years. The Lord called Joan to her heavenly home in the early morning hours of March 4, 2023, at Casa Subina assisted living, Albuquerque, where she lived for three months. Joan’s family and friends will miss her warmth, good humor, and self-sacrificing love.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; twin sisters who died soon after birth; her sisters Betty (Bill) Eaton and Marilynn (Dick) Rowlison; and her brother, Leonard (Dolores) Yost. She is survived by her sister-in-law Dolores Yost, of Lander, Wyoming; two daughters, Julene (Jabr) Dumit of St. Louis, Missouri, and Joselyn (Charlie) Pflieger, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; a son, C. Jade (Allie) Gernant of Laramie, Wyoming; three granddaughters, Rebekah (Kyle) Martin of Phoenix, Arizona, Deanna Pflieger of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Pflieger of Albuquerque, New Mexico; two grandsons, Cormac and Felix Gernant of Laramie, Wyoming; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A memorial service and reception will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 525 6^th Street, Worland, WY on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.  Burial will follow at Emblem Cemetery, Emblem, WY where Joan will be buried next to John.

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to United Luv in Joan’s name. United Luv was created by the family of Joan’s nephew to honor their son and brother who died of cancer.  United Luv is a non-profit organization that donates iPads to patients going through cancer treatments. Mailing address - United Luv – 3245 Alpine Drive, Billings, MT 59102 or UnitedLuv.com/donate.