Age 90 of Richfield, MN passed away quietly February 17, 2019. Preceded in death by her husband of 66 years Del Griffin, her parents John M. and Bathil (Bathildis) Balk, and her brothers Francis J. “Jack” Balk and Eugene “Gene” Balk.
Joan was born and raised in Waucoma, Iowa, graduated from Waucoma High School, attended Iowa State University and graduated from Saint Mary’s School of Nursing at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. While raising seven children she worked as a maternity nurse at Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis (founded by feminist medicine pioneer Martha Ripley) and as a level-two neonatal nurse at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.
Joan loved sports and was a gifted athlete. She starred as a girl’s high school basketball player in Iowa, was an outstanding women’s softball player in Minneapolis and Richfield, and an accomplished bowler. She was also an avid youth sports fan, faithfully attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. She spent much of the last half of her life enjoying the northern woods, cross-country skiing, blueberry picking, and fishing at the Wisconsin lake cottage she and Del built together.
Joan was born and raised in Waucoma, Iowa, graduated from Waucoma High School, attended Iowa State University and graduated from Saint Mary’s School of Nursing at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. While raising seven children she worked as a maternity nurse at Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis (founded by feminist medicine pioneer Martha Ripley) and as a level-two neonatal nurse at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.
Joan loved sports and was a gifted athlete. She starred as a girl’s high school basketball player in Iowa, was an outstanding women’s softball player in Minneapolis and Richfield, and an accomplished bowler. She was also an avid youth sports fan, faithfully attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. She spent much of the last half of her life enjoying the northern woods, cross-country skiing, blueberry picking, and fishing at the Wisconsin lake cottage she and Del built together.
Age 90 of Richfield, MN passed away quietly February 17, 2019. Preceded in death by her husband of 66 years Del Griffin, her parents John M. and Bathil (Bathildis) Balk, and her brothers Francis J. “Jack” Balk and Eugene “Gene” Balk.
Joan was born and raised in Waucoma, Iowa, graduated from Waucoma High School, attended Iowa State University and graduated from Saint Mary’s School of Nursing at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. While raising seven children she worked as a maternity nurse at Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis (founded by feminist medicine pioneer Martha Ripley) and as a level-two neonatal nurse at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.
Joan loved sports and was a gifted athlete. She starred as a girl’s high school basketball player in Iowa, was an outstanding women’s softball player in Minneapolis and Richfield, and an accomplished bowler. She was also an avid youth sports fan, faithfully attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. She spent much of the last half of her life enjoying the northern woods, cross-country skiing, blueberry picking, and fishing at the Wisconsin lake cottage she and Del built together.
Joan was born and raised in Waucoma, Iowa, graduated from Waucoma High School, attended Iowa State University and graduated from Saint Mary’s School of Nursing at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. While raising seven children she worked as a maternity nurse at Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis (founded by feminist medicine pioneer Martha Ripley) and as a level-two neonatal nurse at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.
Joan loved sports and was a gifted athlete. She starred as a girl’s high school basketball player in Iowa, was an outstanding women’s softball player in Minneapolis and Richfield, and an accomplished bowler. She was also an avid youth sports fan, faithfully attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. She spent much of the last half of her life enjoying the northern woods, cross-country skiing, blueberry picking, and fishing at the Wisconsin lake cottage she and Del built together.
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