Joanne A. (Dray) Nickolauson

Joanne Nickolauson, 65, passed away on Friday, December 31, 2021.

Joanne was born Joanne Alyson Dray in Margate, Kent, United Kingdom on March 6, 1956. She grew up predominantly in Broadstairs, about 80 miles east of London. When Joanne was 12 she traveled to the United States with her mother and newly adopted father and was nationalized in July of 1968.

She lived in several states as her family traveled with the Air Force.  She has lived in Alaska, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, Utah and Texas.  She graduated in 1974 from Garden City High School, in Texas.  Her favorite hobbies included reading books, listening to music, voicing strong opinions on political matters, finding that perfect quote and watching movies. Her favorite food was tomatoes and tuna, her favorite drink was creamer with a splash of coffee and favorite movie was Guardians of the Galaxy.

Joanne worked many jobs- from waitress, bartender, out in fields with potatoes, paint tech, eyeglass production, caretaker. She was an amazing cook and baker. She raised five children, and when she left this world for the next, she had eleven Grandchildren. She was a great sister to her brother and always treated him with love and kindness, they remained close all her life even though she was 12 years his senior. She was spicy, witty, thoughtful and never a day went by that she didn’t think about her grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Mary Edna Curran, her father, John T. Freetly and her son, Jordon Nickolauson.

She is survived by her brother, John F. Freetly (Kathy), her sister Paula (Nigel) Amor, along with her children, Tirisha (Jason), Amanda (Sergio), Meghan and Cortny; grandchildren, Kaley, Ena, Gillian, Ayda, Myles, Finn, Molly, Deacon, Quentin, Lilith, Beau and one due, Blair, in February.

Her body was cremated and her final wishes are to be released over the White Cliffs of Dover-or somewhere nice.

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