Dorothy Joan Holden

Dorothy Joan Holden 'JoAnn' died Tuesday after a brief illness. She was the youngest of six children of ""Miss"" Josie and L.A. Wilson, Sr, publishers of the Richton Dispatch newspaper in Perry County for many years. She graduated from Millsaps College, then taught elementary school in Gulfport. After living with her family and teaching around the US and in Ramstein, Germany, she returned to Gulfport to teach at Bayou View Elementary. She was a caring, engaging teacher who is remembered for crafts like paper dodecahedrons and for peppering lessons with French.
Wherever Joan lived she crafted a full meaningful life. At Driftwood, she served as President of the Resident Council and Mardi Gras Queen. She remembered every birthday and always had a hand made ribbon cross or Christmas ornament for a new acquaintance. She was a collector of international dolls when her daughters were young, and angels and apples and the many roosters that adorned her room at Driftwood.
Her real gift was for making and keeping friends. Joan never met a stranger. At eighty she remained close to her childhood friends, and maintained friendships around the world. She was an honorary grandmother to many of the Driftwood staff. She always had time to help a friend.
Joan is survived by her daughters Mary Holden of Pass Christian, MS, and Josie Holden Bulla of Charlotte, NC. She is also survived by grandchildren Megan, Meredith, Mary Kathryn, Kate, and Holden and great grandchildren Gabriel, Mia, and Xander. They will miss her love and care and the smile she always wore.
Everyone is welcome to attend a memorial service in her honor at Mississippi City United Methodist Church in Gulfport at 11:00AM on Saturday, July 21, 2012.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements. Tributes may be shared with the family at www.riemannfamily.com.
For more information, please call (228) 539-9800.