Joan M. Konkey Coughlin, 88, passed away on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, leaving us with memories of strength and dignity.   Her Christian upbringing and values guided her throughout her lifetime.

She was born at home September 7, 1933, to John and Lilah (Bohnstadt) Konkey on the family farm on Tryon Road in Michigan City, delivered by her own father.  Perhaps that is why she was named after him! The doctor filled out the paperwork as September 8, 1933, and she always smiled when she said she had two birthdays – her real one, and her legal one!

Joan was a lifelong resident of Michigan City, and a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Michigan City.  She was baptized in 1933 and confirmed in 1947.  She attended St. Paul Sunday School, St. Paul Christian Day School, and was a member of the St. Paul Luther League.  In later years, she was the 4^th grade Sunday School teacher for ten years, the school librarian for twenty years, and a room mother as needed for nearly twenty years.  Joan was President of the Women of the ELCA Harmony Circle for eight years, worked in the St. Paul Quilters Group for thirteen years, volunteered at the annual Jonah Fish Fry and at the St. Paul Soup Kitchen nearly every Sunday.  She attended church services every Sunday, and if the weather was good, she loved to drive through Washington Park to see the lakefront before she went home.  On her last car ride, that was the first place she wanted to go!

Joan enjoyed 4-H and was a 9-year member.  She passed her love of 4-H on to her daughters, spending many hours working on projects with them, especially in the Foods category!

Joan was a graduate of Elston High School, Class of 1951.  She met her future husband, Donald R. Coughlin, while working at NIPSCO as a secretary to the District Superintendent in Michigan City.  She said one day she was pinning news items to the bulletin board as he walked by, and he said, “What’s new?”  On September 26, 1953, Joan and Don were married at St. Paul Lutheran Church.  Their first apartment was a small section of a garage owned by Jim and Helen Rist.  With a new baby on the way, the time soon came for them to buy a house, and they moved just a few doors away and made their house a home.

Together, they raised four daughters: Cynthia A. Coughlin, Indianapolis; Colleen K. (Michael) Taylor, Lafayette; Rebecca S. Lane, Michigan City; and Camille K. (John) Shipp, Wellington, Colorado.  Her special blessings were her grandchildren Kaela (Charles) Crozier, Joseph (Carla) Taylor, Thomas (Beth) Taylor, Jaden (Andrew) Schultheis, Jordan (Phil Frech) Lane, Mia (Jose Dominguez) Rivera, and Andre Rivera.  Her face lit up when surrounded by her great-grandchildren: Wyatt, Hayden, Charlotte, Harper, Zeke, Grace, Alex, Alivia and David.

Joan retired from NIPSCO to raise her girls, and later would also take care of many other children.  As a homemaker, she was often found in the kitchen canning sauerkraut and fresh vegetables from the garden, or at her sewing machine.  She was a talented seamstress and quilter, having made several wedding dresses and countless quilts.  If you were blessed with a quilt from her, it was her wish to have you bring it with you to her funeral service and drape it over the pew.

Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Donald Coughlin, brother Robert Konkey, sisters Dorothy Wagner, Miriam Long, Charlotte Arndt and Linda Loetz, as well as sisters- and brothers-in-law Virginia Konkey, William Wagner, Richard Arndt, Louise Konkey, Gordon Loetz, Doris and John Bowers, Thelma and Harold Chandler, Marie and Keith Ashley, Barbara Robbins, and James Coughlin.  She is survived by her brothers David (Rose Marie) Konkey and Richard Konkey, and sister-in-law Joann Coughlin, and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to especially thank the staff at Trail Creek Place, Visiting Nurse Association of Northwest Indiana, and Diane Waltz for their wonderful care of Joan.

A celebration of life service will be held on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at 11:00 am at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 818 Franklin Street, Michigan City, IN 46360, with Pastor Mark Reshan officiating.  Due to COVID-19, masks and social distancing are required at the Church.  Visitation is from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Monday, January 24, 2022, at Geisen-Carlisle Funeral Home, 613 Washington Street, Michigan City, and at 10:00 am until the time of the funeral at St. Paul.  Memorial contributions can be made to the Women of ELCA (c/o St. Paul Lutheran Church) or Michiana Humane Society (722 IN-212, Michigan City, IN 46360).