Dateline: Jerseyville
Joan Baalman, 84, passed away on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital surrounded by her family. Joan was born to Joseph and Ann (Kosina) Kokta in Chicago, Illinois. One of three children, Joan grew up in Chicago and graduated from Chicago's Carl Schurz Public High School in 1958. She attended St. Therese Hospital School of Nursing and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing in 1961.
Joan lived a life filled with love, dedication and a deep commitment to her family and community. Born and raised in Chicago, she shared her childhood with two sisters, creating memories under a big apple tree in their front yard, sledding in the wintertime and playing red rover with neighbors. She was also playing pretend hospital before she was six years old, foreshadowing the future fulfillment of her dream of becoming a nurse.
She devoted herself to her studies and looked forward to school as a place to grow and learn. It was during her school years that she

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