I'll always remember Joan's prompt, numerous and lovely greeting cards and letters that she sent so faithfully. Our friendship began in 1945 as teenage pen pals and my daughter, Paula and I visited the Waltons in Newcastle on Tyne in 1967. When I was widowed in 1999, I asked Joan Mary (as I always called her) if I could visit her and Brian in Cleadon Village for several weeks. In 2000, we had a second reunion and she and Brian were the best hosts. It was a memorable visit! Since she insisted that she would never fly on an airplane, I was never able to reciprocate, but someday we will see one another again, our Lord willing. I cherish you, Joan with love, Mary Louise from across the "pond" in MO

Thoughts from Joan's granddaughter, Hannah Riach (nee Walton) I have endless happy memories of the time I got to spend with my Nana. I remember her teaching me how to swim and, although she wasn’t a big fan, when I was too scared to go on my own she would ride the water slide at Temple Park Leisure Centre with me. I remember sitting on the little wooden chair at the little wooden table helping her to trim around the edges of used postage stamps to send away for charity. I remember the endless supply of cakes that would be waiting for us if she had been to a coffee morning, and if not the biscuit tin was bound to be full with biscuits you only got at your Nana’s house! I remember the extra verse she used to tag onto the end of “happy birthday”. I remember the red box that she used to get out at the end of every visit with bars of chocolate in, and the not so subtle passing of our pocket money as she snuck it into our hands! I remember her blue socks and white sandals that used to vex Aunty Pam and I remember us buying her blue socks the following Christmas because we knew she would laugh along with us. I remember countless family holidays where family games were all the more fun because Nana was playing. I remember the letter she wrote to me when she first met Callum calling him “dishy”. I remember the smell of roses and the fact that she kept a bottle of hand cream in every room and one or two in her handbag. I remember her smile, I remember her laugh and I remember the feeling of a hug from my Nana. I remember the way she would squeeze you. I remember my Nana’s hands. They were always soft, always warm and her nails were always polished. My Nana was the epitome of love and kindness. She was selfless, generous, caring, funny and just a delight to be around. I cannot imagine coming away from visiting her and not feeling uplifted. I’m going to miss my Nana a lot and it really saddens me to see her go, but, I am thankful that I got to know such an incredible woman. Revelation 21:4. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Thank you for setting up this memorial to Joan. The loss of a loved one is undoubtedly the most difficult time in anyone’s life. We hope that you find it a positive experience developing the site and that your memorial will become a place of comfort and inspiration for you to visit whenever you want or need to.