Joan Buchanan, a prominent Washington native, passed away Oct. 29, 2016 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Born Feb. 23, 1924, Joan was the daughter of architect and builder John H. Kretz and his wife, Mildred (Draddy) Kretz.
She attended St. Simons schools, graduating from high school in 1942, and from Edgecliff College in Cincinnati, in 1946, with a degree in sociology. She spent two years as a welfare department case worker in Indiana and Florida.
It was in Florida where she met her future husband, Gordon P. Buchanan, a Bell South employee. The couple married and relocated to Washington after Gordon’s naval deployments during WWII and Korea.
Joan became a homemaker and mother of four sons: Peter, John, Joseph and David. She had many interests in addition to family: playing bridge, reading and volunteering for the Garden Club and RSVP vision testing service. She will, however, be remembered foremost for her talent and competitive nature playing tennis, continuing to play well into her eighties.
Joan was preceded in death by her late husband Gordon P. Buchanan, Feb. 28, 1984. She is survived by her four sons: Peter Buchanan, Washington, IN; John Buchanan, Amherst, VA; Joseph Buchanan, Crestview, FL; and David and Laura Buchanan, Washington, IN; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation (9am) at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church followed by a mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at (11 am) at Our Lady of Hope Catholic church (formerly St. Simons) on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016.
Interment will be at St. John’s Cemetery, Washington, IN, following the mass.
In-lieu donations may be made to RSVP organization, PO Box 648, Washington, IN 47501