Joan Young

Joan Marie Young "Nana" was born January 20, 1932, in Ithaca, NY. She passed away on April 5, 2022, in her home surrounded by loved ones.

Joan loved animals, any animal but especially cats and dogs, she’s never owned just one animal, always a cat haven at her house and she loved every single one of them more than anything in this world. Joan enjoyed 50 years of volunteering her time at the Roswell Humane Society and Thrift Store and being part of the board as President for many years and her last role as corresponding secretary, she made many lifelong friends that became family. If you knew her, she was "Nana" to everyone, family or not, she was everybody's Nana and was proud to have that title and positions in everybody’s lives. She enjoyed reading books by her favorite author and longtime friend Alice Duncan along with any other mystery books and really any book she could get her hands on. Joan was loving and caring, welcoming everyone with open arms and hospitality. Those that knew her, knew she had a spicy side to her that nobody expected from such a small little lady.

Joan married and spent over 60 years with her loving husband Johnny Young who passed in 2015, traveled the world with him as he served in the United States Air Force. Joan loved her family up until her last breath and never let it go unknown.

She is preceded in death by her Daughter Julie Zettel who passed in 2021 along with parents, Leroy and Evelyn Riley, siblings: Roy, Paul, Margaret, Dick, Mary and David. She was the oldest girl of the siblings and who lived the longest. She is survived by her daughter Debbie Griffen, granddaughter Lisa Garcia and husband Adam and family, and great granddaughter L'Rissa Cobos and wife Adrianna and family; son-in-law Bob Zettel; nieces Rachel Riley of Mississippi and family, Kym McLaughlin of New York and family, Linda Baker and Jarriett Plummer and families of Florida who all loved her dearly. AND…Of course her six cats, Safire, Lola, Janice, Baby Girl, Jenny, and Linda, along with one loyal (and loud) dog, Roxy.

There will be a memorial service for our Nana, Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Ballard Funeral Home at 11:00 am. Anybody that was lucky enough to know Joan is welcome to join us in a celebration of such a beautiful life lived that touched so many lives. After the memorial, there will be a “pot luck”, she loved to have potlucks. Family and friends bring your favorite dish to 305 S. Michigan after the services to share good food and stories.