It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joan DeVilbiss of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Beloved by all who knew her, Joan lead a wonderfully accomplished life of service and humility.

Joan was born at Morningside Hospital (now Hillcrest Medical Center) in Tulsa, Oklahoma on August 7, 1932 and passed away at the Tulsa Methodist Manor on April 12, 2018 after a brief illness. She was 85 years old. She was deeply loved by her family and friends who will miss her caring compassionate nature, her generosity, her fortitude, and her quick wit. She never failed to comfort others and share her abundant love. We are so very proud of the wonderful person she was and her lifelong accomplishments in the fields of education, nursing, computing and music.

Joan's extensive education included graduation from Tulsa Central High School in 1950, attending Southern Methodist University from 1950 to 1952 and a member of Phi Mu Sorority, then transferring to the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland where she graduated in 1955 with a Registered Nursing degree. She worked at Johns Hopkins as Assistant Head Nurse in pediatric nursing for one year before returning to Tulsa where she taught at Hillcrest Medical Center School of Nursing from 1956 to 1958. Next in 1959 she obtained a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University Teachers College majoring in Pediatric Nursing. After once again returning to an instructor role at Hillcrest in Tulsa she ventured back to Columbia University where in 1966 she received a Master of Education Degree in Curriculum and Teaching-Higher Education with a major in Pediatric Nursing.

Joan joined Texas Woman's University in Houston Texas in 1967 as an Assistant Professor and continued her career there until retirement in 1996. In a final career role as Administrator of the College of Nursing Computer Lab, she assisted with the design and set up of the Nursing Computer Lab in Houston and improvements in Dallas and Denton locations.

Joan is a Charter member of the Beta Beta Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau, the International Nursing Honor Society and was awarded Outstanding Member of the Year in 1995 by the Beta Beta Chapter. She is a past member of the Oklahoma Nurses Association and the Texas Nurses Association, American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing. She earned her Red Cross Nursing Pin by participating in the Oklahoma Flood shelters and first aid station at the Tulsa State Fair and later participated in disaster nursing relief in Corpus Christi after a severe hurricane hit the area. While in Houston, she was a member of St Luke's United Methodist Church.

After retirement from Nursing in 1996, Joan returned to the Tulsa Oklahoma area to care for her parents and while there pursued her lifelong interests in singing and violin. As a youngster, she sang in youth choirs at Boston Avenue Methodist Church and she continued this passion throughout her life at both St Luke's Chancel Choir in Houston and at Boston Avenue in Tulsa. She was proud to have been a part of the 1994 Choir tour of Europe with 35 friends from St Luke's, where she performed in Helsinki Finland, Tallin Estonia, Rega Latvia, St Petersburg Russia and Stockholm, Sweden. An accomplished violinist, Joan played in various orchestras having started taking lessons in 4th grade. Those included University of Tulsa Orchestra, the Johns Hopkins University Orchestra, Riverside Church Orchestra in New York City, the Campanilli Orchestra at Rice University and the Houston Civic Symphony from 1972 to 1996 where she also conducted beginners in the Houston Youth Symphony. She joined the Boston Avenue Symphonic Orchestra in the Fall of 2000 where she both played and sang throughout the rest of her life.

Recently, Joan was active in her local community near Cleveland, Oklahoma participating in the Triangle Garden Club and Peninsula Volunteer Fire Department's Pancake Breakfasts and Ice Cream Socials. She loved entertaining friends and relatives while taking care of her House on the Hill and took pride in the beauty of her gardens. Joan also enjoyed the company of her two very spoiled pet cats.

Joan DeVilbiss is proceeded in death by her parents Charlie John DeVilbiss and Josephine Perry DeVilbiss and is survived by her brother Charles Julian DeVilbiss of Shreveport, Louisiana and her nephews and their wives Mark & Dee DeVilbiss of California, and Roger & Kelly DeVilbiss of Louisiana, as well as many longtime friends including: Barbara Bond, Syd Duensing, Wanda Payne, and Larry Stout. Also, the Council, Darnell, Perry, Pierce and Simms cousins were very important in her life.

Services will be held at Boston Avenue Methodist Church in the Sanctuary at 10:00 on Saturday April 28th. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, Music Department. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Tulsa Methodist Manor for all kindnesses shown to Joan during her stay. Joan's strong faith sustained her in life and it is comforting to know that she is now restored and reunited with her loving parents. We will always love you and cherish your memory. Rest in Peace!