Joan Harker, 50

Joan Ellen Harker, age 50, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Sunday morning, Nov. 28, 2010, at Sturgis Hospital.

She was born Nov. 9, 1960, in Sturgis, Mich., a daughter of the late Robert and Joan Barbara (Kerr) Farber.

Joan had resided in the Colon and Sturgis area her whole life and graduated from Colon High School with the class of 1978. She continued her education at St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Grand Rapids where she received her diploma as a registered nurse.

In October of 1981 she married Jeffrey Palmer in Burr Oak. He died Dec. 22, 1990. On May 30, 1992, she married Bruce Harker in Coldwater.

For the past 27 years she had been employed as a registered nurse at Sturgis Hospital.

She was a member of the North View Christian Church in Coldwater and attended Grace Christian Fellowship Church in Sturgis.

Joan enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing and camping. She truly loved time spent with her family especially her grandchildren that she cherished.

She is survived by her loving and dedicated husband of 18 years, Bruce; two daughters, Marcy (Brian) Maxwell of Constantine and Mallory Palmer of Sturgis; one son, Nathan Palmer of Kalamazoo; three step-sons, Issac (Cheryl Combs) Harker of Sturgis, Phillip (Kim) Harker of Constantine and Paul (Erica) Harker of Centreville; eight grandchildren, Tatina, Braxton, Owen, Asher, Asa, Dustin, Jayce and Alyssa; one sister, Jan (John) Eichel of Colon; one brother, Joseph (Lynette) Farber of Jenison; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one niece, Lyndsay Bingaman.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today and 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Rosenberg Chapel, 807 E. Chicago Rd., Sturgis. Funeral services celebrating the life of Joan Harker will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Grace Christian Fellowship Church, 300 Timothy St., Sturgis. The Rev. Jeff Bream of the North View Christian Church in Coldwater will officiate.

A graveside committal will follow the service at Sturgis Memorial Gardens in Sturgis.

The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mrs. Harker’s memory consider the Lyndsay Sharp Bingaman Nursing Scholarship c/o: Branch County Community Foundation, 2 West Chicago St., Coldwater, MI 49036.

The obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhome.com where personal messages of support may be left for the family.