Joan Nadine Marie (Bortzel) Saf was born July 26, 1924, on a farm in rural Cuming County to Joe and Nannie (Afwelin) Bortzel.  She passed away on Sunday, July 27, 2008, at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in West Point, Nebrska at the age of 84 years and one day.

Joan attended several rural and public schools including Oakland High School.  She married William Saf on December 14, 1943, in Hiawatha, Kansas.   They farmed and resided in rural Burt, Washington and Cuming counties before retiring and moving to Lyons, Nebraska in 1984.  Since January 2007, she has resided at St. Joseph's Retirement Community in West Point.

She was a member of the Memorial United Methodist Church in Lyons, the Resident Council of St. Joseph's Retirement Center and previously belonged to several church and social circles.    

Joan worked for many years at the Oakland Memorial Hospital during the 1960's and 1970's and enjoyed caring for others.  She was a homemaker, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.  In her younger years she enjoyed cooking, gardening, sewing and keeping a neat house.  She was a devoted wife to Bill for 63 years until his death in June 2007.  She enjoyed crafts, visiting, playing cards and recently had become an avid reader of Christian novels.  She looked forward to the Sunday phone calls from her daughter Sherry in California and her weekly visits with her son, Roger.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband: William; son, Ronald; brothers-in-law: Lee, Ivar, Cliff Saf and Maynard Turner; sisters-in-law: Alice Saf, Ruth Peterson, Carolyn Lohmeyer and Myrtle Saf.

She is survived by her son: Roger and his wife, Laura, of Lincoln, NE;  daughter: Sharon Sheehan of Fresno, CA; five grandchildren:  Donelle (Kenny) Fritz of Lincoln, Robin (Dr. Daniel) Jones of West Des Moines, IA, SPC Will Saf of Germany, Ann Saf (Travis Kozal) of Waverly, NE and Andrew Sheehan of Fresno, CA; ten great grandchildren: Brandon, Austin, and Cole Fritz of Lincoln, Abby, Bridget, Tristan and Clairissa Jones of West Des Moines, IA, Thatcher, Treyton and Tenley Kozal of Waverly; sister: Donna Turner of Lincoln, niece, nephews and cousins.    

FUNERAL SERVICE: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 10:30 a.m. at Trinity UMC/UCC, 900 E. Decatur St., West Point, Nebraska.

VISITATION: Tuesday, July 29, 2008, 1 - 8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 - 8 p.m. at Pelan Funeral Home in Oakland. Visitation will also be held Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. at St. Joseph's Retirement Community in West Point and at the church one hour prior to the service.

BURIAL: Oakland Cemetery, Oakland, Nebraska.

MEMORIALS: St. Joseph's Retirement Community Foundation or to the family

Please feel free to send your condolences to the family.
Each condolence will be printed and given to the family after the service.

pelan@pelanfuneralservices.com