Joan E. Conant

Joan Anne Evans Conant, 94, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, passed away surrounded by family on September 8, 2025, at the Bayshore on Hilton Head. She was born on July 23, 1931, in Middletown, NY to the late Ralph Wayland and Anna Roberta (Wallace) Evans. Joan married the love of her life, the late Robert Conant, on June 10, 1950, and they shared 73 loving years together.

Joan was an only child, growing up in Tacoma Park, Maryland. She attended George Washington University, the University of Virginia and Central Michigan University, graduating with a degree in Education. She attended the Presbyterian Church in Tacoma Park, Maryland, where she met her forever husband, she singing in the choir and he attending as a guest, serving in the US Navy in Annapolis, Maryland. Her later choir experiences at Memorial Presbyterian in Midland led her to perform at Carnegie Hall, which was a thrill of a lifetime for her.

Joan and Robert spent over 50 years intermittently in Midland, Michigan, attending Memorial Presbyterian Church. They also lived in Moorestown, New Jersey, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, attending Brewster Baptiste, Cumming, Georgia, attending Peachtree Presbyterian, and finally Hilton Head Island, where they could view the intercostal waters from their apartment.

Joan had a passion for our canine friends, breeding, grooming and showing Miniature Silver Poodles, with one becoming an international champion. She loved teaching and traveling the world, bringing her experiences to the classroom. Her quilting and knitting skills were second to none, supported by Symposiums in Paduka, Kentucky annually, where she went with her daughter, Jane. Her culinary expertise was craved by friends and family alike, with the Annual Eggs Benedict New Year’s Breakfast, a coveted invitation. She taught fourth grade for 18 years and was Teacher of the Year. She was a Founding Member of Chippewa Cooperative Nursery School in 1959, where she taught for many years. A member of PEO in numerous cities, helping provide scholarships for women, and a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, Joan’s philanthropy was an important part of her mission. Shopping, bridge, card games and friends took up all her spare time. But at the end of the day, she couldn’t ever have enough time visiting with her family, grandkids and great-grandkids.

Joan is survived by her four children, Charlotte (Jay) Kulkin, Jane Weinstein (Wayne Garris), Roger (Diana) Conant, and William (Miguel) Conant, eleven grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on Cape Cod and Midland, Michigan at a later date.