Joan C. Piper

Joan Caroline Piper of Fremont, CA, a woman of unwavering loyalty, unique taste, and boundless love, died at the age of 84 on Friday, March 9, 2018 after fighting a sudden illness with characteristic Scotch-Irish stubbornness. Born on April 11, 1933 in Denver, CO, Joanie Scott was the second youngest of John Andrew Scott (born Kansas City, KS) and Annas Caroline Waycott Scott’s (born San Bernardino, CA) five children: Jack, Lillian, Peggy, Joanie and Jerry. Foretelling a lifelong love of canines, one of her first words was “doggy.” After graduating from Denver’s South High with the Class of 1952, Joanie started studying at the Colorado State Teachers College, where she intended to pursue a career in education. Her plans changed when friends introduced her to a handsome, soft-spoken young teaching student named Roy Piper. By 1955, they had been married in Denver and were ready to start a family in Greeley, CO. Joanie was the mother of three daughters: Peggy, Leslie, and Kelley. She felt strongly that being a mother was the most important job there is, and she made sure that her children had every opportunity to pursue their passions, encouraging them every step of the way. After raising her own family, she went on to provide daycare to four friends’ children, whom she loved dearly and enjoyed tremendously. The Piper family picked everything up and moved to Fremont, CA in 1967 so that Roy could start a position as a reading teacher in the new Fremont Unified School District. Joanie and Roy eventually divorced, remaining friendly and involved in their children’s lives, but Joanie would stay in their Mission San Jose home for the rest of her life. In August 2008, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of seeing the tropical jungles and picturesque beaches of Hawaii with her daughter Leslie and husband Greg. Joanie loved to tend to her garden, so it’s no surprise that her home decor and wardrobe were frequently punctuated by floral patterns, pastel and jewel-toned hues, and an extensive jewelry collection. Her eye for beauty extended to the fine arts, and she passed a passion for art and design down to her daughters and grandchildren. When she wasn’t outside in the garden, she could be found in her favorite green recliner, sipping Pepsi (never Coke) and blazing through the latest David Baldacci thriller or watching James Bond movies on VHS. Bond was perhaps a favorite for its entertainment value, but more likely Joanie couldn’t resist checking out Sean Connery and Roger Moore in their prime. All the way until her dying day, Joanie had an astute eye for the handsome men of the world, regardless of race or creed; if they were clean-cut fellows with soulful eyes, she approved. Joanie was also a practiced luddite who never felt the need to own a cell phone or check out this whole internet thing, in spite of her daughters’ continued efforts to drag her into modernity. She preferred the simple things in life, like a good book, a chocolate truffle, or spending time with her family. In fact, nowhere did she seem more in her element than when she was surrounded by her grandchildren. She had nine in all: from Peggy and Bob Plummer, Anatasha and Tim; from Leslie and Greg Bacon, Sarah and Scott; and from Kelley and David Tom, Chantal, Ian, Thalia, Isabella and Chance. Joanie is predeceased by her ex-husband Roy Piper and her siblings, Jack Scott and Lillian Scott Hammel, and is survived by sister Peggy Scott Munroe of Denver, CO and brother Jerry Scott of Diamond Bar, CA. To those of us who knew and loved her, she was an unforgettable force of love, care, and loyalty. She would love nothing more than for you to pour out a Pepsi and treat yourself to a See’s Candy in her memory. Joanie’s memorial service will be held at Chapel of the Angels, 40842 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538 on March 17, 2018. A private burial was previously held at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Livermore, CA.