OBITUARY Joan Mary Couch October 14, 1927 – October 24, 2018 Joan Mary (Obergfell) Couch, 91, finished a life well-lived to join “Her EverLoving” husband Howard in heaven on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Born in Fort Wayne, she grew up on Hanna Street across from Weisser Park where she learned to play tennis with her sisters and other neighborhood children inspiring a life-long love of the game. Joan was a multiple city tennis tournament champion, highlighted by retiring the original city tournament women’s singles trophy by winning the title three times in succession from 1949 to 1951.
In 1950 Mayor Henry Branning Jr. appointed her to the tennis commission to develop junior players. She was inducted in the Fort Wayne Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983 and played in leagues at Wildwood Racquet Club until she was 86. After high school she worked at Catholic Charities and as secretary for Donnelly McDonald, President of Peoples Trust Bank.
In 1965 she married Howard Couch and they spent 36 joyful years together. Joan reveled in her family and kept large scrap books detailing news events and awards. Joan’s joy was found in her home life: raising her three children and doting on her grandchildren.
She was adept with a sewing machine and knitting making many of her own clothes, children’s school uniforms, sweaters, play clothes, Halloween costumes, Christmas ornaments, and throw blankets; she loved needlepoint and crochet creating many decorative pillows and wall hangings. Her house always smelled of homemade meals and daily-made-from-scratch pies, cakes or cookies and classical music was always on in the background. She delighted in her wooded backyard feeding the birds and discovering wildflowers.
She volunteered for years with the American Heart Association, the St. Joseph Hospital Gift Shop and her children’s schools. She and Howard donated money for restoration and new stained glass windows at St. Peter’s and St. Joseph’s Catholic Churches. She attended the Fort Wayne Philharmonic for over 45 years.
In later years she spent time with friends from church and attended numerous high school reunions. Joan developed dementia and passed her final years in a memory care facility in Muncie, IN near her family. She is survived by her three children Anne (Bob) Gaydos Muncie, IN, Andrew (Rachel) Couch Longmont, CO and Sarah (Peter) Jimenez Colorado Springs, CO and 9 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Howard, parents Charlotte (Freistroffer) and Leo J. Obergfell, three brothers Richard (Althea), Paul (Mary Jane), and Robert Obergfell and two sisters Dorothy (Don) Hall and Marjorie (Bob) Disser. She is survived by her brother David (Luanne) Obergfell and sister Carol (Allen) Ward of Fort Wayne, IN. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday October 29, 2018 at 10 am with Fr.
David Hellman officiating at St. Peter Catholic Church 518 Dewald St. Visitation will be Sunday October 28, 2018 at D.O. McComb and Sons Lakeside Park from 2 – 4 pm with a rosary at 4 pm. Burial in Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association would be appreciated.
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