Joan Joyce (nee Hamm) Mercer, 87, of Dixon, formerly of Paw Paw, passed away Monday, October 13, 2014 at Hillcrest Nursing Center in Round Lake Beach, IL. Joan was born in Princeton, IL, to David and Clara Hamm on April 2, 1927.
Raised during the Great Depression and coming of age near the end of World War II, at age 18 Joan and a girlfriend signed up to work in the U.S. War Department in Washington, D.C., much to her parents dismay. There she shook President Truman’s hand on VJ Day and met her future husband, Bob Mercer, who was serving a post with the U.S. Navy. Following a desire to become a teacher, Joan attended Carthage College for one year and worked at a bank in San Francisco before she married Bob on Sept. 26, 1948. As did many women of her generation, Joan withdrew from college to help support Bob’s education in pharmacy at the University of Iowa. After working at drug stores in Princeton and Mendota, IL, in 1961, Bob and Joan purchased their own store, Mercer’s Pharmacy, in Paw Paw, IL, which remained open until 1999.
In addition to raising her four children and assisting Bob at the store, Joan returned to education serving as a library assistant at Paw Paw High School. She also served part-time as a library assistant at the Paw Paw Public Library and often dressed in costume as Mother Goose, reading nursery rhymes to school and children’s groups. Joan was an active member of First Presbyterian Church, a member of PEO, a long-time league bowler, an earnest golfer and member of Indian Oaks Country Club and, according to all her partners, was an excellent bridge player. After Bob’s sudden passing in 2003, Joan was blessed with six great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.
Beloved wife of the late Robert B. Mercer, loving mother of JoEllen (the late William) Schlesinger, Steven (Kim) Mercer, Nancy (Hanna) Wassouf and Philip (Nancy) Mercer; dear grandmother of Brandon (Rachel) Schlesinger, Trent (Amy) Schlesinger, Sara (Matthew) Wiemer, Louis (Sara) Mercer, Suzanne Wassouf and Kara Mercer; great-grandmother of Maddux Schlesinger, Caleb and Abigail Schlesinger, June and Theodore Wiemer and Abraham Mercer; dear sister of the late Kenneth (the late Janice) Hamm, the late David (Ernestine) Hamm and Barbara (James) Rife; fond aunt to many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 5-8 P.M. Sunday, October 19, 2014 at Torman Funeral Home, 510 Flagg Street, in Paw Paw.
A funeral service will be at 11:00 A.M. Monday, October 20, 2014 at the First Presbyterian Church, 398 Chicago Road, in Paw Paw with Rev. Anne Hoflen officiating. Interment will follow in Wyoming Township Cemetery in Paw Paw.
Memorials in Joan’s name may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church or Paw Paw Public Library.
For information, contact Torman Funeral Home 815-627-3811 or www.TormanFuneralHome.com.
