Joan R. Sturgis

Joan R. Sturgis, 83, of Suffolk, VA, formerly of New Cumberland, PA, died Thursday, September 28, 2023 at Lake Prince Woods Retirement Community, Suffolk, VA.

She was born October 4, 1939 in Camden, NJ to the late Wilmer D. and Ruth E. (Middleton) Blades.  She was a National Honor Society member and an honors graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School (Camden, NJ) in 1957.  She completed her formal education at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Pottersville, NY. 

In 1960, she married Paul J. Sturgis of Haddonfield, NJ.  They recently celebrated their 63^rd wedding anniversary. 

Joan was a believer in Jesus as her Savior and Lord.  As an active member of New Life Church, New Cumberland, she was involved in several ministries, as she had also been throughout her years in the various places she lived.  Her favorite was teaching 4 & 5 year-olds in Sunday School Class.

Joan is survived by her husband Paul J. Sturgis; daughter, Karen J. McIntyre (Robert Andrew) of Suffolk, VA; son, Brian P. Sturgis (Donita) of Elizabethtown; grandchildren, Michelle, Lauren, David, Brian, and Summer; and great-grandson, Aiden.  She was beloved dearly by all of them and by many other family and friends.   

A graveside service will be held at noon on Monday, October 9, 2023 at Cumberland Valley Memorial Gardens, Carlisle. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Word of Life Fellowship, https://www.wol.org/ or to ABWE International, https://abwe.org/