Joan Waldo Blais

Joan Waldo Blais, age 80, of Greensboro, GA, died Friday, August 15, 2008 at her home. Born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 11, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Edward Waldo and Anne Coogan Waldo. In 1945 she graduated from Forest Hills New York High School and in 1949 the College of New Rochelle where she majored in art. She married her husband Norman Joseph Blais in 1950 and they lived in locations that spanned the country, finally settling in Greensboro in 1992. In addition to raising six children, Joan taught art at Bennett Academy in Illinois and later obtained her Master''s Degree in counseling from the University of Alabama. Among many activities she served as a book reviewer for a regional New England newspaper.

Once in Greensboro, Joan devoted her time to helping others as editor for Mended Hearts Club, and was an active member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society and the Old Salem Fire Department. She sponsored a needy child through the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging and served as aA tutor for young school children in the Greensboro schools. She wasA an active member of Christ Our King and Savior Catholic Church, where she led groups preparing to become members of the Catholic Church. She enjoyed reading, writing as a member of a local writer''s club, solving expert-level crossword puzzles, and doing arts and crafts. Joan had an active social life in the Reynolds Plantation community.A  She was especially fond of golf and had the fortune of scoring three holes-in-one, including two on the same hole and one on her 65th birthday.

She is survived by her husband of fifty-eight years, Norman Joseph Blais, of Greensboro, GA and by five daughters, Kathleen Clark-Colton and husband Gary of Aurora, IL, Margaret Hemmens and husband Tim of Aurora, IL, Susan Parham of Panama City, Panama, Patricia Blais of Birmingham, AL and Denise Blais of Felton, CA; a son, Richard Blais and wife Debra of Madison, AL, thirteen grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, August 18, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Our King and Savior Catholic Church with Father G. Phillip Ryan officiating. Interment will follow at Greenview Cemetery in Greensboro, GA. Serving as pallbearers are Richard Blais, Tim Hemmens, Gary Colton and Stephen Colton. The family requests that any memorials be made to Hospice Care Options, 811 North Cobb Street, Milledgeville, GA 31061 or to the Alzheimer''s Association, 1925 Century Blvd., Suite 10, Atlanta, GA 30345. McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

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