Joan E. (Ramlow) Pemble

July 20, 1950 – Oct. 31, 2021

Joan Pemble died at her home in Caldwell, Idaho on Oct. 31, 2021, from a malignant brain tumor.

Joan was the oldest child of Russ and Mary Ellen Ramlow of Whitefish, Montana. She graduated from Whitefish High School and from Whitworth College with a degree in elementary education. She taught for three years in South Carolina before marrying Ed Pemble and moving to southern California. Joan taught elementary school in Norwalk, California for five years and obtained a master’s degree in education from California State University in 1979.

In 1981 Joan moved with Ed to southern Idaho and substitute taught until her first son, Mark, was born in 1982. Her son Scott was born in 1984, followed by David in 1986 and John, who died in infancy, in 1989. Joan homeschooled her sons and provided special learning experiences for them including educational travel. When her sons reached high school age Joan returned to full-time teaching at North Star Charter School, finally retiring in 2015. That year Joan was honored by the Boise area Rotary organization as the most influential teacher of a Rotary Scholarship recipient.

In addition to teaching, Joan volunteered in children’s education at various churches, at the Nampa, Idaho public library, and the Caldwell, Idaho library board where she served as chair. She volunteered as an election judge for the Canyon County, Idaho elections department. Joan participated in a book club with several friends for more than a decade, helping to select books to challenge her mind. Joan survived her brain tumor for more than seven years before it returned in the fall of 2020. As Joan knew that she would not survive the tumor again, her thoughts turned toward her next life in heaven, and she died in peace and confidence.

Joan’s parents, her sons John and David, and her sister Judy (Ramlow) Neer passed away before her. Her husband Ed, her sons Mark and Scott, and her brother Jim (Alma) Ramlow of Whitefish, survive her, along with nieces, nephews, and cousins in Montana, North Dakota, and Idaho.

Joan’s family suggests memorial gifts to India Evangelical Mission, Orphan Fund, at www.indiaevangelical.org.