Joanne Marceline Skarda (Blegen), age 86 , passed away on November 30, 2021. She is now free from all the pain and mobility problems that troubled her in her later years. Joanne was born on December 18, 1934 in Watford City, North Dakota to Eddie and Margaret Blegen (Sivertson). She was the second of three children. They lived on a farm by the old Berg store with Eddie’s father, John Blegen, who died 5 years later and they continued living in the same house. She attended Clear Creek Church as a child and went to school at Berg School. After graduating 8th grade, she attended Watford City High School. She stayed in Watford City at a house with several other girls while attending school. After that she worked at several jobs while living in Watford City before meeting her husband, Jack Skarda. They were married in September 1955 at the First Lutheran Church of Watford City. They had 4 children, Charlotte (Greg) Willis, Gary (Kathy) Skarda, Wayne (Kim) Skarda and Randy (Tana) Skarda. They enjoyed attending rodeos and going fishing. They made their home in New Town until moving, in 1958, to the site of their current home, south of Keene. In 1959 they leased and later bought the house and store in Keene. Joanne was active in the Clear Creek Church Ladies Aid and in the Keene craft club. She also enjoyed making ceramics with a group of ladies at Virginia Lund’s house in Keene. She worked at the store in Keene while Jack was busy at the farm. In 1969 they moved a house onto the farm and moved into that house. Joanne continued working at the store. They sold the grocery store in 1973 and were at the farm full time. She enjoyed gardening and mowing the grass. She had a big garden when the children were small and canned enough for the whole winter. She was very active helping the Ladies Aid making quilts for the local graduates and Lutheran World Relief. In her later years she enjoyed her puzzle books and visiting with people in person and on the phone.
Joanne was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who loved to see the children. Some of the grandchildren would spend the summer on the farm and really got to know their grandparents and enjoy farm life such as climbing the buttes and jumping hay bales.
Joanne is survived by her husband, Jack, brother Raymond (Lois), and her children; Charlotte Willis (Greg), Gary Skarda (Kathy), Wayne Skarda (Kim) and Randy Skarda (Tana). She is also survived by numerous grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Joanne was preceded in death by; her parents Eddie and Margaret Blegen, her sister Arlene Johnson and infant granddaughters Melinda and Shawna Willis.

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