Joan B. Danner

Joan B. Danner (Joanie)
June 21, 1937 ~ April 8, 2024

Joan B. Danner (Joanie) was born June 21, 1937 to parents Owen Love Gallaher and Sylvia B. Gallaher (Salmons) in Winningkoff, Texas. Winningkoff was a magical place for Joanie, as her grandfather, Lee Gallaher, owned a farm there and she spent many happy times at his home. She and her cousin, Jimmy, spent their days riding horses without a saddle and cooking potatoes on a fire they set up down by the always ice cold spring, enjoying times when friends and family would gather for music where many of the attendees would play the piano, guitars, banjoes, fiddles, etc. and just have a fun, musical evening. It truly was a magical place that even many years later, she would think of with much love and happiness. Joanie’s father, Owen, died when she was five and her older brother, Love, was 10. Joanie went to her first year of school at the country, two-room schoolhouse that her grandfather, Lee Gallaher, helped build years before. Joanie had a younger sister, Sandra Kay, and along with brother, Love, and mother, Sylvia, they settled in Plano, Texas and Joanie completed her schooling in Plano graduating from high school in 1956 in a class of 52. Plano had a population of just over 2000 and was a sleepy, Mayberry-type of great place to grow up. Plano now has a population of 285,500. Joanie was a majorette for four years and loved marching each year in the annual Cotton Bowl football game parade. She was a class officer all four years of high school. Joanie worked at the local newspaper as the high school reporter and wrote up articles about the student activities and sports.

After high school, Joanie attended TWU (Texas Woman’s University) in Denton, Texas, majoring in art and journalism. Joanie then went to work at the Earle M. Jorgensen Steel Company, where she was the Inside Sales secretary for seven salesmen. She later worked at Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors and was the Assistant Zone Manager’s secretary, and also operated one of the very first key punch machines for ordering cars for the Pontiac Dealers. While living in Dallas, Joanie was asked to be one of the models for the Clifton Wilhite Company, which designed ball gowns and evening wear sold all over America.August 18, 1962 Joanie was united in marriage to Richard Danner. They left Dallas and moved to Topeka, Kansas, where Richard finished up his college degree and Joanie worked as the first secretary for the White Lakes Mall Shopping Center, which was just getting tenants and beginning construction. They moved back to Abilene and Richard joined his father, Ray, in operating the Danner Funeral Home. Joanie worked as secretary to Principal George Madelen at Abilene High School and later was secretary to Bob Pierce at the Duckwall Stores, later to be known as ALCO. Richard and Joanie divorced in 1983. To this marriage, two daughters were born, Angela Kay Danner and Amy Rae (Danner) Flinn.

Joanie loved entertaining and had many dinner parties and enjoyed making delicious meals for her friends. Her favorite thing to do was go to antique sales all over town and surrounding country auctions. She refinished over 30 pieces of furniture and loved going to her furniture refinishing class. During these years, Joanie also started a new hobby of painting in oils and acrylics. Over the years, Joanie belonged to many organizations which included Junior Thursday Study Club in Texas, Jaycee Jaynes, Abilene Country Club, Junior League, Gourmet Club, Birthday Club, Buckeye Saddle Club, Beta Sigma Phi, and 4H Cooking Teacher. Joanie designed every inch of her beautiful home, Windy Hill Farm, and she loved being there so very much. Joanie also loved gardening, and her favorite flower was roses of all kinds. She had many rose bushes, which gave her great joy.

Joanie worked at the Topeka, Kansas Police Department, Records Division, for seven years as a Senior Records Clerk and seven years as a Supervisor in Records. Joanie retired from this job in August 2001 and moved back to Abilene.

Joanie loved playing with her three grandchildren, Landon Flinn and twins Millie and Jimmy Danner-Homer, and she became quite the lover of children once they were born. She had been a curmudgeon about children until they came along, and all of a sudden, children were wonderful! Joanie is preceded in death by her parents, Owen L. Gallaher Sr, Sylvia B. Gallaher Wims and Weldon Wims, brother Owen Love Jr, nephews John Owen and Darryl Gallaher, and niece Cheryl Scovill. She is survived by daughters, Angela Kay Danner and Amy Rae Flinn (Steve), her grandchildren, Landon Flinn, Millie Danner-Homer, and Jimmy Danner-Homer, sister Kay and husband James Christopher, niece Karen Caramela and husband Jon Phenicie, and great niece Morgan Jenson, sister-in-law Beatrice Gallaher, nieces Beth Ann Gallaher, Brenda and husband Dennis Hozak, great nephew Brandon Hozak, and nephew Bryan Gallaher.

In her later years, Joanie had many health issues and her life became very different, as she could not get around without a rollator, so the once very lively lady became very much a stay at home person. During this time, she spent many happy hours creating beautiful scrapbooks for her daughters and grandchildren that they will cherish forever. She especially enjoyed spending time with Angela and the twins in Kansas City and with Amy and her family in St. George, KS.

Cremation has been chosen and Joanie requested that no services be held. Joanie loved her family and friends, and she would wish each one to remember at least one happy time they had spent with her and keep her in their memories. Memorials may be made in Joanie’s memory to the Abilene Public Library in care of Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home, Abilene, KS.