Joan Grier Belote

Joan Grier Belote received her celestial "wings", November 18, 2023, after living and enjoying the beautiful Gulf Coast of MS for 25 years.  Joan was born, and lived in Dublin, GA for 42 years.  She was preceded in death by her father, R.T. Grier (1963) and her mom, KAT(hleen) Grier (1996). Sadly, Joan's children, Alan, her youngest, Ricky, her oldest, and Linda, the middle child, predeceased her in 1985, 1994 and 2009, respectively.  She is survived by her one and only sibling, Bill, three grandchildren, Crystal, Brokk and Michael Alan, a great grandson, and a favorite first cousin, Ann.

Joanie B, as she was known in the fellowship of the friends of Bill W., began trudging the road to a happy destiny on September 16, 1978. At the time of her death, she happily celebrated over 45 years of continuous sobriety, one day at a time 16,499 days total, and, was delighted to be tobacco-free for 40+ years!

Early in her double dash life (1943-1978-2023), she continued to climb the ranks of the US Civil Service system.  Beginning as a Key Punch Operator (a what? you ask), she worked at both the Warner Robins (GA) AFB and at the Dublin (GA) VA hospital. After completing electronics school in Statesboro, GA, she departed Dublin, and, worked in the electronics field at the Army Depot in Texarkana, TX, then, ending her Civil Service career with the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) at Key Field in Meridian, MS.

In retirement, fishing and more fishing, boat ownership, Master Gardening certification, graduation from Blue Cliff College, Gulfport, as a massage therapist, and finally, earning an Associate Degree in Construction Technology from Gulf Coast Community College monopolized a significant portion of her "free" time. Hurricane Katrina ('05) gave her a chance to live in a motor home for 8 months and monitor the renovation of her creek-side home. The renovated creek-side home was crowded, on different occasions, with rollicking friends who came to see "Elvis", a belly dancer and a ventriloquist.  

In Joan's 45 years of sober-living, Joan made many friends who shared lots of laughs, chit-chat and storytelling. Fishing and travel became a big part of her journey. Among her favorites was owning a Hurricane deck boat (pre-Katrina), and a 17' Cape Craft skiff (post-Katrina).  She fished & fished & fished the near-by coastal waters, the Back Bay, and even ventured over to LA to pole-fish for Reds and to fish for Muskie in OH.  Vacation travel highlights included: a private-guided tour of the Holy Land and a bus trip through southern Italy, snorkeling in the Red Sea, hang gliding at Kitty Hawk, canoeing the Okefenokee Swamp, rafting the Grand Canyon and circumnavigating Deer Island (Biloxi) in her kayak. She cruised both the waters of the Caribbean and those of southern Alaska; she "birded" in Corpus Christi, TX, Dauphin Island, AL, and, Kearney, NB - the migratory stop-over for 50,000 Sandhill cranes. She wind-surfed in Key West, rode a trail horse at Yellowstone, and, had her "bath" at Hot Springs, AR. She participated in the Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) and took tennis lessons at a Lake of the Ozarks resort. She also learned to roller skate, ice skate and play table tennis. Going to the International Story Telling Convention in Johnson City, TN, and the International Ventriloquist Convention near Cincinnati, OH were exceptionally fun times. Joan visited the home of Dr. Bob (co-founder of AA) in Akron, OH and toured Al-Anon's World Service Office in Virginia Beach. Joan traveled to AA International conventions in Montreal, Minneapolis, Toronto and San Antonio along with multiple spiritual retreats at Pine Mountain, GA, Holy Trinity, AL and at the Cenacle in Metairie, LA. When time allowed, Joan, played tennis, racquetball and swam at local health clubs to which she belonged.  Her experiences also included special times with members of the Dublin Bicycle Club, the Texarkana Rockhound Club and the Tx Council for the Blind. 

Joan was a life-long Christian; a spiritual person.  As a young person, she described herself as a Southern Baptist.  Under the influence of several Catholic friends: Fr. Owen Ferrell, Mamie, Jerry White and Srs. Josephus and Estelle, she was confirmed Catholic in 1997. The Serenity Prayer remained her very favorite,

The past several years, however, were very challenging, health-wise.  Thanks, though, to the power of prayer, and, to so many wonderful, compassionate and caring providers, Joan was gifted with "bonus" years. Joan had THE best, especially, Drs. Bersabe, Bitar, White, Conger and Hughley, Nurse Practitioners: KC, Heather and Tara, Memorial and Select hospital staff, along with home-care nurses and nurse assistants: Jaycee, Hayley, Laney, Teresa, Mindy, Dakota, Gretchen, Tiffany, Nanda, Sharon, Ashley, Kay-Kay, Mary, Hartense, LaKeesha, Oteria, Tremisha, Stephanie, Dee and Sarah.   AND, thanks to them, Kay, her BFF and traveling companion, will be eternally grateful!!!                                   Via con Dios +

A Memorial Mass was held at St. Mary Catholic Church in Biloxi, MS on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 10:45 am. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Dublin Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Dublin, GA.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Joan Grier Belote.