JoAnn M. Soard

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 18, 2007

FRANKLIN — JoAnn Marie Soard died Dec. 16, 2007, surrounded by family.

The Merrillville, Ind., native was born Nov. 17, 1957. She was a daughter of the late William and Lena Eich. She married her college sweetheart, Rodger Soard, in 1980, and spent 27 wonderful years with him. As a teacher, she took great joy from her time teaching and shaping young people. JoAnn dedicated her life to her family, church and teaching her grade school students. She started her love of reading and poetry early in life, and shared her passion for the printed word with her students, family and friends throughout her life. JoAnn had a strong faith in Our Lord. She felt blessed that she could spend her last few months visiting with her family and friends. She felt blessed also by the outpouring of love from her school families at Adairville Elementary School and Heavenly Host Lutheran School, her current and former students, Rodger’s co-workers at Harman Becker, her fellow church members and minister, her neighbors and her friends.

A celebration service will be at 11 a.m. Dec. 27 at Christian Life Center at Franklin First United Methodist Church, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Booker-Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to buy books for Adairville Elementary School Library, 226 School Ave., Adairville, KY 42202, (270) 539-7711 or send donations to Citizens Union Bank for JoAnn Soard memorial book fund.

Survivors include her husband, Rodger Soard, who works for Harman Becker; a son-in-law, Benjamin Holman and daughter, Elizabeth Holman, a nurse and physical therapy student at Belmont University; a son, Eric Soard, a recent religious studies graduate of Lambuth University and his fiancee, Liz Buchanan; four brothers, Bill Eich and his wife, Phyllis, Lou Eich and his wife, Elizabeth, Pat Eich and Pet Eich and his wife, Sandy; two sisters, Terri Phillips and her husband, Bob, and Mary Eich; six nieces; four nephews; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jean and Ronald Soard; three sisters-in-law, Rae Jean Broderick, Karen Lynn Miller and Sandra Plaiss; a brother-in-law, Richard Soard; five nieces; and five nephews.