On January 18th, 2022, Joanne passed away at her home in Epping, ND. She was born June 9th, 1945, to Bernice (Fasching) and Henry (Hank) Hauge in Williston, North Dakota.

Joanne lived in Bainville, Montana during her childhood and attended school there as well. After Joanne left school, she began a lifelong career in the food service industry. She started as a waitress and soon became a cook. Her cooking skills became the favorite of many throughout the years at local restaurants in Williston and Ray. She finished her career as a dietician at Mercy Hospital and retired after being there for 30 years.

She met her husband Vernon in Minot, North Dakota in September of 1963 and married her after 3 months on December 15th, at the Bainville Lutheran Church during one of the coldest days of the year, with an outside temperature of -30°.

Joanne had many interests during her life and one of her greatest passions was her cake decorating. During this time, she decorated countless cakes for many celebratory events but was known for her wedding cakes and how delicious the cakes tasted. Jo loved colors, and one of the ways of getting a multitude of colors in her yard was to buy flowers and leave them for her husband to plant and in the later years her daughter Nyla and daughter-in-law Wendy to plant. She also has a curio cabinet full of sparkly knick-knacks that she would buy on her visits to any Cracker Barrel she could find and auctions.

Joanne loved to travel and one of her greatest adventures was a trip to Norway with her sisters Lorna and Jean to meet their Norwegian cousins. She also had a wicked sense of humor, and you never knew when a one-liner would come your way.

She had a heart of gold and her love for her husband, her children, and grandchildren was unlimited. Seven years ago, she came home with a little white fur ball and named him Charlie Brown. Charlie was always by her side these last few months and especially those last few hours he even slept by her side and protected her fiercely.

Joanne is survived by her children, Bryan (Wendy), Nyla (Jerome), Leon (Shaundra), Michael (Shelli), Valerie (Kelly), Cathie Lang and their families; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sisters, Lorna (Bob) Lagerquist, Jean (Clay) Samples; brothers; Warren (Chris) Hauge, Jim Hauge, and Don (Jean) Hauge and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Vernon and her parents, Henry and Bernice Hauge.