JoAnn Bork

The following was written by Mom for the family cookbook, published in 2007…

JoAnn, second daughter of Joe and Helen Sullivan, was born on August 15, 1937, at their home in Elma, Iowa. She contracted polio at the age of nine. With the help and love of her parents, and sister, Shirley, she was able to keep up her grades and graduate with her classmates in 1955. Growing up on a farm with her sisters taught her a love of flowers, nature, cooking, baking, sewing, and most of all, a closeness of family.

On March 2, 1957, she married Helmut G. Bork at Immaculate Conception Church in Elma, Iowa. Helmut came to America from Darmstadt, Germany. They raised their three children, Joseph, Christel (Ken) Miner, and Anita (Kevin) Williams in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

After her children were born, she worked as a decorator for J.C. Penney’s. and five years later opened her own shop, “Interiors by JoAnn.” After Helmut developed health problems, she sold the business and went into real estate, allowing her more flexibility in hours. Frequent visits to the hospitals in Rochester, Minnesota. didn’t stop them from taking some wonderful family trips, especially camping and boating with the kids. Clear Lake was a favorite spot. They also traveled to the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone Park, Orlando, Florida, and Germany, to visit relatives and to see the country.

After Helmut died on November 23, 1983, JoAnn moved from Cedar Falls to Des Moines, Iowa. She worked there in decorating and flooring sales. She retired in 2006.

JoAnn still likes traveling, getting together with her sisters and friends, genealogy, her yard, flowers, cooking and baking. JoAnn enjoys her grandchildren Stephanie, Danny and Rebecca Miner, and Brian, Christopher, Michael and Ashley Williams, and her step-grandchildren, Shane (Cherise) Miner, and Travis (Kelly) Miner and their families.

Her Christian faith and belief is that those who have gone before us will watch over those who are still here.

Now, some thoughts from her children…

First, Mom was incredibly modest…she had such a vast array of talents!

Her ability to sew was incredible…from our baptismal gown, a suit for Joe when he was young, clothing during the elementary years (minus our school uniforms), homecoming outfits, bridesmaids dresses for her sisters’ wedding; and just this Christmas she had plans to make her youngest granddaughter and great-granddaughter’s doll dresses (hand surgery 4 weeks ago prevented that project from being completed…those plans are on her table right now!). And don’t show up in some ill-fitting clothes, she would kindly request you leave that item with her so she could make the alterations she deemed necessary. There was nothing Mom could not make with some fabric and an idea.

During the 60’s and 70’s Mom enjoyed using her free time oil painting beautiful landscapes. Our Grandpa and Grandma Sullivan and Oma and Opa in Germany prominently displayed her artwork in their living rooms. She enrolled her girls in art classes, attempting to tap in to our drawing/painting gifts…sadly, only one of her children inherited that gift…Anne!

Her talents led Mom into the decorating field, eventually opening her own shop, allowing her to be hands-on, taking projects from the drawing board to reality.

After she sold the business, Mom worked a number of years in real estate before obtaining her insurance licenses, which led to her move to Des Moines.

Later, Mom spent time in the mortgage industry before reentering the decorating field, focusing on flooring. Yes, she could/and would school you on all things flooring and her customers would seek her out for guidance. Just last April – she played project supervisor for Stephanie and Alex as they laid a new kitchen floor, overseeing the installation until she couldn’t stand it anymore…told them to “move aside, let me do it!” This went on until 2 in the morning…and it looks great.

In 1990, Mom purchased her home on 48th street and thus began “the home improvement project with no end.” My thought when seeing the house the first time (which was kept to myself)… “Oh NO! Did you really buy this?” But our Mom…she could see the potential and had the intellect and energy to see it through to completion, meaning she did at least 90% of the work herself, and it looked perfect!

In spite of the demands of these projects and work, Mom always put her family first! Not only us (her children) and grandchildren, but her ENTIRE family. Caring for her sisters, Myrna and Connie, in their valiant battles with cancer, was a priority for Mom. In her mind there is no such thing as a shirttail relative or distant cousin… family is family! Mom loved staying connected with her grandchildren, from their early years, school activities, sporting events, graduations and weddings. She was always there. She rarely missed a family gathering and loved sitting and talking to all.

There has been a universal response from family and friends these past difficult days…that Mom was a “Second Mom” to them, a great listener (easy to talk to), gave great advice and had a smile to light up a room.

Mom is remembered with love by her children Joseph, Christel (Ken) Miner and Anita (Kevin) Williams; grandchildren Shane (Cherise), Travis (Kelly), Stephanie, Danny (Julia) and Rebecca Miner, and Brian, Christopher, Michael and Ashley Williams; five great-grandchildren; and her sisters, Shirley Daleske, Charlene (John) Tull and Nancy (Tim) Gibbons. She was preceded in death by her husband, Helmut Bork; and her sisters, Myrna Wagner and Connie Kraninger.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa. A rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, January 10, 2013, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 2926 Beaver Avenue, with a visitation starting at 10:30 a.m., and lunch following. Burial will be Friday at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Elma, Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, 800 E 28th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407.

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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