Joan Rosalie Stanley, 88, of Mitchell, passed away Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Redcrest Hospice House in Bloomington, Indiana.
Born January 14, 1938, at home, in Knightstown, Indiana she was the daughter of Raymond Eugene and Edith Faye (Steele) Sharp. She grew up in this small town and loved telling her family stories about her childhood. She was able to walk wherever she wanted to go in Knightstown and even walked home from school for lunch daily. She maintained lifelong friendships with several girlfriends from Knightstown, visiting with those remaining as recently as last fall.
Joan was a 1956 graduate of Knightstown High School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business in 1986 from the University of San Francisco and earned her Master’s degree in 1993 in Management Science from Indiana Wesleyan University. She was a nationally certified drug and alcohol abuse counselor and worked a variety of jobs in that field. In 2003 she retired from the Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, KY where she worked in the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program. After retirement she worked as an adjunct professor for Oakland City University and Indiana Wesleyan University and thoroughly enjoyed working with those adult students well into her seventies.
She was a lifelong bridge player, most recently playing in Bedford with the Panhellenic group. They played 2 or 3 times a month and she kept that up until this past spring. Bridge was her favorite pastime.
Surviving are her children, Kim Stanley Barany of Springville, Susan Stanley (Wendell) Wilkinson of Bedford, and Joel Roy (Debbie) Stanley of Prospect, Kentucky; grandchildren, Nicholas Allen Stanley, Seth John Barany, and Amelia Rose Wilkinson; step grandchildren, Rachelle Ahaus, Ashley Gill, and Matthew Wilkinson; great granddaughter, Jane Logan Stanley; step great grandchildren, Janeva Gill, Colton Gill, Asher Ahaus, Ruthie Ahaus, and Audyn Wilkinson; and brother, James W. Sharp of Mesa, Arizona. Joan doted on her grandchildren and spent many happy hours with all of them, their GiGi will always hold a special place in their hearts.
Her parents and brother, Garry Sharp, precede her in death.
Celebration of Life will be held at noon Friday, August 28, at Jacob Finger Methodist Church in Mitchell, Indiana, where Joan was a member for many years.
Friends may visit from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service Friday at the church.
In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Jacob Finger Methodist Church in Mitchell, Indiana or to the White River Humane Society in Bedford, Indiana at whiteriverhumanesociety.org
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