Katherine JoAn Stemple, 77, of Monongah, West Virginia, passed away at Marietta Memorial Hospital on Thursday, April 18, 2024. She was born on December 11, 1946 in Fairmont, daughter of the late Mary Frances Travelute and Wilson Jennings McElroy.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Donald McElroy, son Donald Paul Erdie, her daughter Leah Ann Erdie, and her granddaughter Margaret (Maggie) Amaris Erdie.

She is survived by her brother Rick McElroy – with whom she was very close—many cousins, nieces and nephews; her children, Samuel Stemple (and wife Christen), Daniel Stemple (and wife Angela), Jack Erdie, Joseph Erdie, Mara Greenleaf (and husband Joe), Joshua Erdie, and surrogate daughter Renéea Erdie; her grandchildren Joey and Christian Erdie, Trey, Elijah and Adam Hetrick, Olivia Hall, Thaddeus and Gianna Stemple; and her great-grandchildren, Alan, Jacob and Sarah Hetrick, Clementine Hetrick, and Gracelynn June Scritchfield. Her love of family and children saw her raising her own kids for forty-two years, all told.

JoAn was a Registered Nurse and a Registered Libertarian. She was a pioneer West Virginia member of both the La Leche League, and of a farmers' co-op and, in her latter years, a pioneer Messianic Christian. She had been a Christian since her teen years. She loved Jesus Christ, her family, friends, books – especially The Holy Bible – thrift and other virtues, wisdom, education, intelligence, research, '50s rock 'n roll, dancing, survivalism, tales of hardship and bygone days, post-apocalyptic stories, and adored All Creatures Great and Small.

If her children possess any couth, you can bet they got it from her.

She was a faithful and forgiving daughter, loving and tolerant sister, loyal and doting daughter-in-law, fiercely protective and encouraging mother, adoring grandmother, family apologist, home-school teacher, all-weather friend, a mentor to many, and for many a surrogate mother, daughter, and sister. She was so generous with her laughter and compliments that when you were with her you felt funnier, smarter, more virtuous, and better looking.

She was acquainted with many joys and much purpose, but also weathered and survived more than her share of hardships. After her parents separated, her father was out of her life for more than a decade. She was alone with her first two young sons while her husband was overseas during The Vietnam War. Several of her close family members have been in the thrall of addiction. Expecting to return home from the maternity ward with her first daughter, she instead lost Leah to stillbirth. Another child, Donnie, drowned when he was eleven. Very recently, she lost her 19-year-old granddaughter, Maggie, suddenly in a senseless automobile wreck caused by a cruel and criminal driver. She endured the deaths of many beloved family and friends, a heart attack, complications from surgeries that compromised her immune and digestive systems, a colostomy, and cancer twice. She was facing a third cancer and had just pulled through a long and complicated surgery when her heart – so often broken, revived, lifted, tested – finally could not go on.

Her family is inconsolable to lose her while her wit was still so keen, her love so full, her sense of humor so contagious, and her desire to live so great. The only relief is knowing that her suffering, too, is over. And that her love and humor live on in us.

Her family also wishes to thank all those who've been a support over the years, and who have expressed their sympathy, shock, and sorrow due to her passing.

The Domico Funeral Home located at 414 Gaston Avenue, Fairmont, WV 26554, is in charge of the arrangements. Services will take place on Saturday, May 4, with public viewing at 2pm, a Memorial Service at 3pm, followed by a reception in the lounge.