Joan Jennings Faris

(Roselind) Joan Jennings Faris

Joan Jennings Faris (nee Roselind Joan Jennings) passed away on September 18, 2026. Joan was born on May 24, 1937 in St. Boniface Manitoba, a suburb of Winnipeg, but moved with her family shortly thereafter to Toronto, Ontario. She is a product of the Toronto Public School System. She worked for a few years for the Toronto Dominion Bank, before traveling to Bambridge County Down Northern Ireland, where she lived with her grandmother while working in Belfast at the Belfast Telegraph Newspaper selling ads. She then moved back to Toronto, where she married her first husband and then moved to Reston, VA and began working at the United Way of America National Headquarters in Alexandria, VA. She worked there in various capacities for over 42 years, starting as a receptionist in the Executive Suite and then becoming the Telecommunications Manager, an associate in Meetings Management and finally becoming a Senior Administrator for six states supervising the Emergency Food and Shelter Program of FEMA- which had been parceled out to the United Way for its administration. She retired in February 2012. She and her second husband, James J. Faris then moved to Hilton Head Island, SC where they lived in Moss Creek Plantation from November 1, 2012.

Her first marriage ended in divorce in 1981. She then married Jim Faris and they were together for over 45 2/3 years. She is survived by five nieces, Laura Finlayson, Linda Lawlor, Lee Broderick, Luann Chraig Black all of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and Deborah Clark Sprake of Sussex, the United Kingdom. She is also survived by Jeffrey C. Faris and Joseph B. Faris of Indianapolis, IN and Anderson, IN respectively – both are brothers-in-law. She is also survived by nieces and nephew Jessica C. Faris of Brisbane, Australia and Jordon C. Faris of Indianapolis, IN and R.J. Pollak, of Carmel, IN and Brigadier General Sara P. Dudley (USA) of Louisville, KY. Her husband, James J. Faris of Hilson Head Island, SC also survives her.

Joan and Jim were world travelers having traveled to over 42 countries in their life together. Those places included China (three times), Russia (two times), Africa (S. Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania) and New Zealand. They were long-standing members of National Presbyterian Church of Washington, DC, and, then in retirement, the Hilton Head Island First Presbyterian Church. She was also a member of the Congressional Country Club in Behtesda, MD and a past member of the South Carolina Yacht Club of Hilton Head Island, SC.

The family asks that contributions be made to your local animal shelter, as she and her husband were ardent animal lovers and supported these causes.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM in the chapel of Hilton Head Island First Presbyterian Church.

Entombment at Elm Ridge Memorial Park (Munice, IN) at a later date.