Joanne Ward Bender

Joanne Ward Bender (81) died peacefully on August 26, 2021 at Lynch Pavilion Hospice in Ft. Pierce following complications from a fall. Joanne was born on October 8th, 1939 in Schenectady, NY to Allen and Lilyan Ward.

Joanne is survived by daughters Lena Lukat and Andrea Fahs, grandsons Kyle and Joshua Lukat and Dominic Fahs, granddaughter Marissa Fahs, sister Joy Creech, and nephew Allen Foley.

Joanne graduated from Newington High School in 1957 and attended Fisher College in Boston majoring in business. Joanne married Leonard Bender in 1960, and although they separated in 1978, Leonard continued to speak lovingly about Joanne until his passing in 2013. Joanne’s 2 daughters, Lena Joy and Andrea Lee, were born in 1965 and 1967 respectively.

From an early age and coming from a family of performers, Joanne loved dance, costumes, and the theater. She began tap and ballet classes in grade school and was so accomplished that she was eligible to audition for the prestigious Rockettes dance company in New York. She continued to enjoy her love of dance later in life in the form of line dancing.

Joanne also adored costumes and theater. She was widely recognized for her elaborate Halloween costumes which she created every year for her daughters. She officially began her career as a costumer for little theaters in Clearwater, FL in 1981 at the rehearsal of Where’s Charlie? where her daughter Andrea was rehearsing and where she met her long-time costume partner Helen. At one point in her costuming career, Joanne and Helen were providing costumes for 3 different theater shows in the Clearwater area a week. In addition to making costumes professionally for the theater, Joanne created numerous costumes for private individuals and gorgeous prom dresses for her daughters. Even when she moved to Ft. Pierce in 1998, she continued to make costumes for McAlpin Theater at IRSC.

In addition to her career as a costumer, Joanne held a myriad of interesting and unique positions including many bookkeeping positions, a position at US Homes building company which she loved, soft water salesperson, front desk clerk at Day’s Inn hotel, QVC customer service representative which she held for 15 years until they closed their Port St. Lucie office, and finally toll booth worker.

Overwhelmingly, however, Joanne’s main love and focus was her children and grandchildren. She poured herself into her children volunteering in the classroom, PTA, and becoming a Girl Scout leader. Her creativity knew no bounds as a fountain of Girl Scout projects, magical birthday parties, crafts and activities poured out of her. Always a lover of learning, Joanne’s talents and gifts shone brightly when helping in school science projects for both her children and grandchildren. Joanne loved all children. She had a way of connecting with children of all ages, which was so organic and effortless for her, by entering into their world of wonder and amazement.

Joanne loved to be entertained, loved to learn, loved to laugh, loved to have fun at whatever activity or event was going on, loved animals, and fiercely loved her children and grandchildren. She was such an incredibly talented, creative, sensitive, inquisitive, fun-loving person whose radiant spirit will never be forgotten.

Celebration of Life service to be held at Haisley Tribute Center 2041 SW Bayshore Blvd Port St. Lucie, FL 34984 on October 9, 2021 at 1pm.