Joan Morrill

Joan (pronounced JoAnn) Morrill, age 85 of Clinton died August 30, 2017, at her residence.

Memorial services will be held on Thursday, September 7, at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton. Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday, September 6 from 5 – 7 p.m. The family will host a time of sharing at 7 p.m. Burial will be in the Clinton Cemetery. The urn bearer will be Dale Morrill. Honorary bearers will be Joan’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Rev. Bev McNeill will officiate.

Joan Myrle (Wheeler) Morrill was born August 6, 1932, minutes ahead of her twin sister Jean, to Charles and Lena (Hawley) Wheeler on a farm southeast of Graceville, MN. They joined one sister and three brothers on that farm. She attended School of District 57 until they moved to a farm northeast of Ortonville, MN. Joan graduated from Ortonville High School in 1950 as an honor student. She then attended beauty school in the Twin Cities.

On October 27, 1951, Joan married Leonard Morrill at Elim Lutheran Church in Clinton, MN. She traveled with Leonard while he was stationed stateside in the U.S. Army from January 1952 to December 1953. She was a lifelong resident of the Clinton area with the exception of one and a half years in the mid-1950s when she and Leonard lived in Seattle, WA. Joan worked side by side with her husband on the farm, where they raised four children: Kent, Carl, Dale and Dona. She raised chickens for the freezer and canned garden produce to feed her growing family.
Joan will be greatly remembered for her counter full with cookie tins, especially chocolate chip and ginger crinkles. Beyond cookies, some of her homemade specialties were: scalloped potatoes made with whipping cream, meatballs, meatloaf, dinner rolls, caramel rolls, and lemon roll. Joan cooked and baked for all that came to her house. She was always up for a game of cards, especially with her kids and grandkids. Some of her favorites were Kings on the Corner, Crazy Eights, Golf, Solitaire, Cribbage and Pinochle.

Joan’s life changed in February 2003 when she suffered a brain aneurysm. Joan’s determination allowed her to relearn to eat, write, and cook with her left hand and resume independent living. She looked forward to her day out each week to get her hair done by Darcy and to get her groceries.
Joan was a member of Elim Lutheran Church of Clinton and later Trinity Lutheran Church. She enjoyed serving on the Altar Guild. Her visits with Pastor Bev were uplifting to her. Joan was a member of the Clinton American Legion Auxiliary.

Joan passed away at her home on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, an hour after she had a piece of pie and a cup of coffee. She had reached the age of 85 years.

Blessed to have shared her life are: son Kent (Kathy) Morrill of Clinton, MN and their children – Kari (Tracy) Casper, David and Kevin; Kayla Morrill; Kristen (Clayton) Brobst, Olivia, Bryar, and Cort; Kobie Morrill and fiancée Kayla Eklund; son Carl (Audrey) Morrill of Long Prairie, MN and their children – Adam (Kim) Morrill, Blake and Lacey; Katie (Mitch) Lieser, Hudson, Everly, and Easton; Jared (Erin) Morrill; son Dale (Tracy) Morrill of Clinton, MN and their children – Mara Morrill, Morgan Morrill; daughter Dona (Steve) Milkovich of Woods Cross, UT; twin sister Jean (Emmett) Holmes of Seattle, WA; Sisters-in-law: Jeanette Wheeler of Seattle, WA, Betty Morrill of Clinton, MN, and Marianne Morrill of Ortonville, MN; Brothers-in-law: Roger (Marlene) Morrill of Seattle, WA and Harlan Nelson of Clinton, MN.

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

She was preceded in death by: her parents, Charles and Lena Wheeler; her husband, Leonard Morrill (November 24, 2011); infant grandson, Joseph Dale Morrill; sister, Margaret Docherty and brothers, Harold Wheeler, John Wheeler and Melvin Wheeler.