Joan Fairey

Joan Fairey, 96, of East Lansing, Michigan died peacefully at Stoneleigh Hospice Facility on April 15th. Although she was born at the onset of the Great Depression, Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, Joan led a charmed life, enjoying a lively and diverse group of friends; a large and loving family; spicy and crunchy food; jazz, classical and folk music; 20th century art; and books and printed materials of all sorts.

Growing up with her twin sister Jean as a companion and little sister Joyce to bedevil, she married at 19 and, before his death in 2010, spent more than 61 years with her husband Parker, who both loved and understood her. They had five remarkable children: Leslie, Matthew (Vickie), Leigh, Bruce (Mary Anne), and Ellen (Jason). They never ceased to amaze and delight her with their disparate abilities, creativity and warm company. Her six grandchildren — Leila, Mara, Julia, Paul, Parker and Jenna — gave her more opportunities to visit different places and enjoy different lifestyles.

In her later years she had a loving companionship with Peter Signell, a fellow Unitarian Universalist. The two enjoyed eating out, going to plays, concerts and art galleries and taking Amtrak across the country more than once to visit family.

With degrees in chemistry, education and library science, Joan worked as a patent abstractor, analytical chemist, elementary school librarian and instructional media coordinator before retiring. She then took brief assignments with Global Volunteers in Poland, India, Crete, Northern Ireland, Costa Rica and the Cook Islands. Breast cancer, lymphedema and severe kidney disease did not slow her — she was taken off dialysis after two years with an unexpected remission.

In 2015 she won an East Lansing Crystal Award for her decades of volunteer work across the community, including working as an election inspector well into her 90s, volunteering at Radio Talking Book, the Greater Lansing Food Bank, East Lansing Food Co-op, Sparrow Hospital, WKAR and the East Lansing Public Library. In 2024 the library honored her many years of service with a whimsical sculpture by David Such created in her honor.

She lived independently until March 2026, when she moved to Stoneleigh Hospice, where her vivid personality delighted the staff who cared for her. Her family is deeply grateful for the compassionate and dignified care she received there.

A celebration of Joan will take place on May 15 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing.

Do not grieve the end of such a long and happy life.

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